Us and Them
by Madcap Minstrel
Summary: Sephiroth was given the chance for a happy childhood when he was rescued from the Shinra labs and taken in by Professor Gast. Now eighteen years later, he is forced to face his past, and his own personal demons.
1. Ch 1: July, 2163 A Promise Kept

Disclaimer: I don't work for Square Enix. I never worked for Squaresoft. I have no intentions of profiting off this. So please don't sue me.

* * *

Chapter 1: July, 2163…A Promise Kept

_ How could things have gotten so out of hand…?_

Those were the words going through the mind of Professor Faremis Gast as he tried desperately to line up the numbers on the safe before the timer installed in it went off. 

_ …Ten to the left…59 to the right…97 to the left…_

The door to the safe popped open. Gast searched the inside, finding a key, and a summoning materia. He quickly pocketed both items and hurried out of the room. He knew he didn't have much time. Eventually, someone would notice the suspicious activity coming from the recently abandoned mansion. Even though it had been cleared out months ago, there were still plenty of SOLDIERs around with the experiments that Professor Hojo was conducting in the reactors. Plus…she was still there, so there was always at least a couple of troopers in town guarding her. 

_ The reason why all of this heartache started…if I'd only had been away that day nine years ago…we would never have found her…_

But they had found her. The creature that he'd proudly named Jenova. The creature that his former colleague Professor Hojo had become obsessed with. The creature who ultimately was responsible for the death of his assistant Lucrecia seven years ago. So much had happened because of…her.

Gast hurried down the spiral staircase as fast as he could. Upon reaching the bottom, he knew which door to look for. It was the first one on his left. Hastily, he jammed the key in the lock, turned it, and shoved the door open.

_ If it's what I think Hojo did…_

He stepped inside a dark room filled with several coffins. The one in the center immediately caught his eye. Seeing the heinous experiments Hojo had gotten away with conducting, Gast knew not to put anything past that madman. He went over and tried to lift the lid of the coffin, but it was too heavy.  
Just then, the lid of the coffin flew off, nearly knocking the professor over, crashing just behind him. When the dust cleared, he saw a man emerging from the coffin.

"Who disturbs my sleep?" the man asked as he brushed a strand of jet-black hair out of his face. He wore a red headband, a black jumpsuit, and a red cloak. He opened his eyes, revealing his blood-red irises. On his left arm was what appeared to be a metal prosthesis.

"Kind of a trite line to be using, don't you think?" Professor Gast chuckled nervously.

"Professor?" the man squinted. "It's been a long time, Vincent," The man said nothing.

"I had no idea…" Gast lowered his head, "It wasn't until last week that I found out what had really happened to you. I was told that you had committed suicide after what happened to Lucrecia,"

Vincent didn't reply.

"I originally thought that if I could find any incriminating evidence against Hojo," Gast said, "that he'd be fired. But ever since President Shinra took control of his father's power company, there's been corruption everywhere- including human resources. I've heard he's already started grooming his five-year-old son Rufus to take over. I suppose if he gets to the boy while he's young…"

"President Shinra has a son?" Vincent looked at the professor,

"How much time has passed?"

"Seven years," Gast answered, "What happened, Vincent? What did Hojo do to you?"

Vincent smirked bitterly. "We had an oral disagreement over his treatment of Lucrecia. He pulled out a gun. How I didn't see it coming…I guess I'll never know. I woke up with this thing…" he held up his claw-like left arm, "attached to my arm, and discovered a few other surprises,"

_Hojo…you bastard…_Gast thought angrily. "Can you stand up?"

"What for?"

"SOLDIER could come bursting in at any minute. If I'm to get you to safety…"

"No…" Vincent shook his head, "This is where I belong…this is my atonement,"

"Vincent…if this is about Lucrecia…"

"I couldn't protect her," Vincent closed his eyes at the pain of that statement.

"Years ago, I heard you promise to look after her child should anything happen," Gast reminded him, "Lucrecia may be gone, but Sephiroth is still alive,"

Vincent's ears perked up at the name "Sephiroth".

"So he at least had the decency to give the child the name she picked for him," Vincent muttered.

"He's seven years old," Gast told him, "The last thing I did was try to save him…but with all the guards there, I had no chance,"

"Let's go," Vincent said abruptly, and then stood up and stepped out of the coffin.

"But you just said-"

"I changed my mind," Vincent walked over to the door, "I'll make sure you get out safely. Then when we're both safe, you can go wherever it is you plan on going from here,"

"My wife must be worried sick about me," Gast said absently as the two men headed out of the room and up the staircase.

"You got married?" Vincent looked mildly interested.

"A few months ago," Gast couldn't help but grin.

"Congratulations," Vincent said.

The two made their way up the stairs, out of the room, down the stairway, and toward the front door.

"Wait…" Vincent grabbed the professor's arm.

"What is it?"

"They're here,"

"SOLDIER?"

Vincent nodded, and threw back his cape, revealing a holster at his left side. He quickly grabbed the pistol inside. Gast stared at the gun confusedly.

"Hojo probably hoped I would use it on myself," Vincent answered, as if he'd read the other man's thoughts, "All I know was, the man wasn't thinking straight that day…as straight as that man could ever think, anyway,"

"Will a six-shooter be enough against SOLDIER?" Gast looked worried.

"Is there anything else you have in mind?"

Gast immediately remembered the summoning materia that he'd found in the safe just a few minutes ago. He pulled it out, and handed it over to Vincent.  
"You're probably much more skilled with this than I am,"

Vincent clumsily took the red orb in his claw, still not quite used to maneuvering the metal digits. He secured it into the single slot of the weapon, where the orb seemed to be completely absorbed by the gun.

"Stay back," Vincent ordered as he began approach the door. No sooner did he do that then the door was blown off its hinges.

"Freeze!" yelled a trooper as he and three others held up their machine guns and charged inside.

With lightning speed, Vincent raised his gun and fired away, hitting each of the men in their arms. Each trooper dropped their guns, a couple of them going off, but the bullets landing nowhere near Vincent or the professor.

_BAM!_

In the confusion, two Turks had appeared in the doorway. One of them had taken advantage of the spectacle and fired a pistol at Vincent, and then again several times. The former test subject howled in agony as he felt searing pain in his left leg, thigh, right shoulder, and the far left side of his ribcage.

"Vincent!" Professor Gast screamed.

_Must be a rookie for his terrible aim…_Vincent thought weakly, before a strange haze began to consume him. _So once again, this happens…Hojo…you bastard…what have you done to me!_

The professor stood rooted in shock as Vincent fell to his knees. What he saw next would forever haunt his dreams.

An unnatural sounding howl escaped from Vincent's throat. An equally foreign red light began to envelop his body, completely concealing his injured form. When the light dissipated, Vincent Valentine no longer stood there. In his place, stood a large, horned creature. One half of its skin was a grayish blue, while the other half was the same color as Vincent's jumpsuit. Several spike-like objects protruded from its arms- the left one having two bangle-like objects circling both its elbow and wrist, much like the joints of Vincent's prosthesis. On its head was a wild silver mane reaching down to its waist. There, Gast could see Vincent's cloak wrapped around the creature's lower body.

_By the Planet…what are you…? _ Gast stepped back, terrified. The Turks and troopers did the same.

The creature suddenly whirled around to face the professor, its wolf-like mouth struggling to say something. It managed only one word:

"_RUN!_"

Gast needed no further explanation as he fled the scene, disappearing into another room. Feeling like a coward for leaving Vincent- or whatever that thing was- to fight alone, he listened to the horrific sounds coming from the entryway. Eventually, there was silence. Still, the professor sat looking at the floor, not noticing how many minutes had passed. It wasn't until he heard footsteps approaching the door that he finally looked up.

Vincent stumbled in the room, completely back to the way he was before.

"Are you all right?" the professor asked worriedly.

"I'm fine," Vincent stated, "This condition doesn't last long. I apologize if I scared you. This is only the second time it happened,"

"What happened to…?" Gast almost didn't want to know the answer, remembering the spikes sticking out of the creature's shoulders.

"I don't know why they sent so many rookies out here," Vincent shook his head disgustedly, "I managed to knock them all out. As for the Turks- they're more equipped to deal with people rather than monsters. They both ran,"

Gast stood up, his determination back in full force. "They'll be waking up eventually, then. We should leave now,"

"Where are you heading to?" Vincent asked as they made their way to the back door.

"My vacation house in Icicle Inn," Gast answered, "No one in Shinra knows about it. It was the only place I could rest without getting bombarded with calls from work. One would think that I didn't need any time off…"

Vincent patiently listened to the older man rambling on as he followed him out the door. _Just like the old days_…he nearly smiled to himself. _Gast would talk and talk, and then Lucrecia would give me that "here he goes again" look…oh god…Lucrecia…_

"Vincent?" the professor looked back at his companion, a look of concern on his face, "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine," Vincent said immediately, "How do you plan to get home?"

"I have a small plane docked at the base of the Nibel Mountains," Gast told him, "It has more than enough room for the both of us. I'm sure my wife won't mind if you hide out with us for a while,"

"Thank you for the offer, but I have other matters to attend to," Vincent replied.

Gast stared at the man. "You just escaped after being in what I'm assuming was a coma, for the past seven years! You can't just go running off by yourself!"

"You're staying at Icicle Inn, right?"

"Yes, but-!"

"I will meet up with you later, then. First, I have to take care of something,"

"Vincent-!"

"I will escort you to your plane, and that is where we'll part ways for now," Vincent gave Gast a look that said the discussion was over.

The professor sighed. "How long do you expect your 'other matters' to keep you?"

"I'm not sure. But I don't intend to fail. We will meet again. For now- let's find your plane before Shinra finds us. I still have unfinished business with them…"

* * *

"Faremis!" Ifalna Gast rushed over to her husband of four months, "Thank the Planet you're back!" 

The professor caught her in an embrace. "Sorry I worried you,"

"You're damn right you worried me!" Ifalna stepped back and lightly punched her husband's shoulder, "You've been gone a week with no way for me to reach you! So did you find what you needed to get Hojo fired?"

"I did…" Gast sighed, "But it did me no good. The board of directors didn't even care. They tried to make it look as if I was working too hard. They ordered me to take a month off. So I did. What they don't know is that I have no plans on going back. Believe me, I was tempted to burn my bridges and  
tell them where they could shove their new reactors, but it seems dangerous to make an enemy of that company now,"

"So what now?" Ifalna looked at the professor.

Gast led her downstairs to the master bedroom. "I'm not sure. At least I was able to right one wrong,"

"Oh?"

"You remember me telling you about Vincent Valentine, right?"

"The Turk who used to date your assistant before she left him for Hojo?"

"The same. And apparently, he was another one of Hojo's victims. Right before Lucrecia died, he and Hojo got into a horrible fight. For some reason, Hojo was able to overpower Vincent. I suppose Vincent was too angry to think straight, and he let his guard down. Hojo shot Vincent, and then proceeded to conduct secret experiments on him. He was left in a coma for seven years, though the man doesn't seem to have aged a day. I found out about him, and was able to rescue him,"

"…And how is he?" Ifalna asked.

"I don't know," Gast admitted, "He left not long after. Said he had unfinished business with Shinra, and then took off. I just hope he knows what he's doing…"

"Well, I'm just glad to have you back," Ifalna put her arms around her husband's neck and kissed his cheek, "We both are,"

"Huh?"

Ifalna smiled. "I'm pregnant,"

Gast's jaw dropped in shock.

"I'm not sure how far along I am," Ifalna continued, "But I figured you could help me find out. After all, you _are_ a doctor as well as a scientist,"

"You're sure?" Gast gulped.

"I took five different home pregnancy tests," Ifalna admitted, "I'm as sure as I can be without seeing a real doctor,"

Gast clapped his hands in delight. "A baby…we're going to have a baby!" He pulled his wife toward him and began to dance around the room, the two of them laughing gaily.

Maybe things were going horribly right now. With Shinra overstepping several ethical boundaries, Vincent's bleak fate, Gast knew things were far from over. However, for this one moment, he allowed himself a moment of peace. He was going to be a father, and for now, that was the only thing that mattered.

* * *

Three days had passed since Ifalna had told Gast the good news. He'd run a few tests on her, and determined her to be about two months pregnant. Meanwhile, he'd strutted about the house, and around town like a proud rooster since hearing the wonderful news. 

Finally, after dinner, he'd decided to do another interview with Ifalna. It was something he'd been working on- his own special research that she'd been helping him out with since before they were married. It had been quite a while since the last time he'd worked on it.

"Ifalna, can you comment on the thing called 'Weapon'?"

"Yes, prof-" Ifalna promptly broke off into giggles. This was the first interview he'd conducted with her since they'd gotten married. "I mean, honey,"  
Gast smiled as his wife continued to speak.

"The one the everyone mistook for a Cetra...was named Jenova,"

The professor cringed slightly.

"That is the 'crisis from the sky'. The Planet knew it had to destroy the 'crisis from the sky'. You see, as long as Jenova exists, the Planet will never be able to fully heal itself,"

"Back then, Weapon was a guardian the Planet produced of its own will?" asked the professor.

Ifalna nodded. "Yes, but... There is no record of Weapon ever being used. A small number of the surviving Cetra defeated Jenova, and confined it. The Planet produced Weapon, but it was no longer necessary to use it,"

"So, WEAPON no longer exists on the Planet?"

She shook her head.

"WEAPON cannot vanish," she explained, "It remains asleep somewhere on The Planet. Even though Jenova is confined, it could come back to life at  
some time. The Planet has not fully healed itself yet. It is still watching Jenova,"

She was about to continue when there was a knock at the door.

Gast harrumphed as he shut off the camera and went to see who had interrupted his work. He opened the door, revealing-

"Vincent!"

"I said I'd meet up with you eventually," Vincent reminded him dryly, "May we come in?"

In his arms was a small child wrapped in a blanket.

"Who is…?" Gast leaned over and removed part of the blanket from the child's face, "Vincent…you didn't…!"

"I promised to keep him safe," Vincent stated, "He's not safe in the labs,"

"Faremis? Who's at the door?" Ifalna walked into the room.

Vincent tried not to smirk as he stared at the woman before him. She had to be at least ten years younger than the thirty-eight-year-old professor. _Trophy wife…only without the ex. Sure can't say I ever saw that coming…_

"Vincent, meet my wife Ifalna,"

"How do you do?" Vincent bowed his head politely.

"Uh, dear, this is Vincent Valentine," Gast looked uncomfortable, "And the child is…well…Sephiroth,"

"The boy who carries Jenova's cells?" Ifalna looked horrified.

"He himself is not Jenova," Gast pointed out.

"But still- that boy is dangerous! What is he doing here!"

"He is as much a victim as you would be if they knew about-" Gast began to say.

"Faremis!" Ifalna immediately tried to shush him before he could say anything else.

"We can trust Vincent," Gast assured her.

Ifalna looked at the odd pair still standing in the open doorway. Trust that man? She shook her head in bewilderment. He looked like a serial murderer!

_Faremis trusts him…_a voice in the back of her mind gently reminded her.

Ifalna sighed. "At least come inside, then,"

Vincent nodded as he stepped inside. Gast closed the door and motioned for everyone to step inside the living room.

"How is he?" Gast asked as Vincent set the boy down on the sofa.

"He's heavily sedated," Vincent answered, "But he'll be fine. Apparently he'd just finished with another one of Hojo's tests. It made it much easier to get him out,"

"What about SOLDIER?" Gast looked concerned, "That place is guarded beyond belief,"

"I discovered many other 'gifts' given to me by Hojo. He must have somehow not realized that they could potentially be used to his disadvantage. To make a long story short- it wasn't that hard…for me anyway,"

"How many witnesses were there?" Ifalna's voice held a hint of panic.

"There's no way they could figure out where I went," Vincent assured the woman, "And we stowed away on a merchant ship that has nothing to do with Shinra whatsoever,"

"But…!"

A small groan turned everyone's attention to the couch. Sephiroth was beginning to wake up.

Gast went over to the child. "Sephiroth? Are you all right?"

"…Professor Gast…?" the boy mumbled, "They told me you were taking a medical leave…"

"I quit, actually," Gast informed him.

"…You're leaving?" Sephiroth looked upset, despite still being groggy, "No…don't leave me…you're the only one here who's ever been nice to me…!"

The professor chuckled, "You've left too,"

"Huh?"

"You're no longer in the Shinra labs," Gast told him, "My friend Vincent decided to take you out of there. Away from Hojo, and away from the tests,"

Sephiroth's eyes widened as he looked around the room. He'd never seen this place before.

"You're safe now," Gast knelt down next to the boy, "Why don't you get some sleep? You must still be tired. Don't worry- everything is going to be alright now,"

Sephiroth silently obeyed, and closed his eyes.

"You two are free to crash here for a while," Gast declared as he stood up.

"Honey…" Ifalna continued to look uneasy, "May I speak to you downstairs…?"

* * *

"Are you _trying_ to put us in danger!" Ifalna whispered furiously as the two stood in the bedroom, "Shinra's prized experiment is sleeping on our sofa as we speak! Vincent is now a wanted fugitive for kidnapping him probably, and you know what they'll do if they find me! And what about our unborn child?" 

"Believe me, sweetheart, we're much safer now that those two are here than we were yesterday," said Gast, "I told you what Vincent did when we were ambushed,"

"Oh, that's right! Vincent can magically transform into a werewolf!" Ifalna snorted, "That makes me feel so much better!"

"Darling…"

"Don't 'darling' me!" Ifalna snapped, "This is serious! You've done some crazy things, Faremis, but this tops them all! We were safe when Shinra thought you simply quit. But if they find out it was you who let Vincent out, who in turn stole that boy from the labs, then they'll arrest you! They'll then arrest me for suspicion of assisting you. Then they _will_ find out who I am…I could end up like Lucrecia! And our child could end up in those labs for the rest of his or her life!"

"I won't let any of that happen!" Gast argued, "Ifalna…you and this child…" he reached over and gently touched his wife's stomach, "I left my home to be with you. Do you honestly think I'd be so reckless as to put you in danger? This land is completely untouched by Shinra. As long as we're far away from Midgar and Nibelheim, we will be safe. None of the other countries would simply allow SOLDIER to storm in and harm its residents,"

"Ohhh…!" Ifalna pouted, "Why do you have to sound so convincing all the time?"

"Because you know I'm right," Gast smirked.

"All right…" Ifalna sighed, "They can stay for a few days, I suppose,"

"Was that so bad?" Gast chuckled.

Ifalna rolled her eyes.

"Let's go back upstairs," said Gast.


	2. Ch 2: A Place To Call Home

Chapter 2: A Place To Call Home 

"Ah, you're awake," The former Turk looked around groggily. What had happened? Then he remembered. Two days after he and Sephiroth appeared at the door of his former co-worker, the professor had offered to operate on Vincent, this time to undo the damage that Hojo had caused.

"I was able to fix some of the things that Hojo did to you," Gast stepped into view, holding up four small materia orbs, "He apparently exposed you to contaminated mako. Definitely not a good thing. He also fused you with these sub-par summoning materia. You'd think these things were made in some third-world country, they're so shoddy…"

Vincent licked his lips, trying to speak, but found himself too weak to use his voice.

"Your eyes, as a result," the professor continued, "Are now back to their normal color. Also, there was something about those summons that stopped the process of mitosis. That is the reason you never aged during those seven years. I also removed that claw from your arm. I have to say- that thing was like a shackle! I had a hell of a time getting it off!"

Vincent absently moved the fingers of his left hand.

"However," Gast went on, "the mako and Jenova enhancements are there to stay. In fact, you might possibly be better off in the end, as they may protect you from your enemies. How do you feel?"

"W…water…" Vincent managed to say.

Gast nodded as he went over to the sink and began to fill one of his measuring cups.

* * *

"What are these?" 

Ifalna frowned at the boy sitting at the kitchen table. "You mean to tell me you've never eaten pancakes before?

"They always gave me a protein shake every morning," Sephiroth told her, "Then I'd start training an hour later," Ifalna nodded. The boy had told her the other day that he had begun training in swordplay when he was five. Though he hadn't said much about it, the look in his eyes told her that it was the only thing he did during the day that ever gave him any real pleasure.

"Wow…" Sephiroth swallowed his first bite and stared at his plate in awe, "These taste…incredible,

Ifalna smiled. She had beseeched the Planet, asking it Sephiroth was any part of Jenova's threat. As usual, it had left her with a cryptic answer.

_ Love…truth…will overpower her…_

The Planet's habit of never stating anything clearly had always annoyed her, but it's voice had been calm and reassuring. She knew that if the Planet didn't consider Sephiroth to be of any harm, then she didn't need to worry.

"Thank you for breakfast again," Sephiroth held his empty plate, utensils and glass to her

"My, you inhaled that, didn't you?" Ifalna exclaimed as she took them over to the sink to rinse them

"Where's the professor?""He's been operating on Vincent since earlier this morning," Ifalna finished rinsing and placed everything in the dishwasher,

"Hojo did some terrible things to Vincent, and now Faremis is trying to fix him," "…Do you think he could fix me too?"  
Ifalna went over to the boy and sat down next to him. "What did you want him to fix?"

Sephiroth ran his fingers through his silver hair. "I know it looks weird," he sighed, "I've never met anyone else with it. Same thing with my eyes,"

Ifalna chuckled slightly. "Sephiroth, Vincent is being operated on because what Hojo did to him might be a danger to his health. Your hair and eyes aren't that kind of problem. Besides- I think they look lovely just the way it is. You're unique. There's nothing wrong with that,"

"I don't like people staring at me the way they do," Sephiroth looked sad, "That's why I like the professor. He never looked at me that way. You don't look at me that way either,"

"Neither does Vincent,"

"But when he does look at me, he seems to get really sad,"

"Well, he was a good friend of your mother," said Ifalna, "You probably remind him of her. He really misses her,"

"He knew Jenova?"

"Oh, no…" Ifalna shook her head, "Jenova was not your mother,"

"But Professor Hojo said-"

"Don't believe a word out of that man's mouth," Ifalna interrupted him, "That man has been a thorn in my husband's side for years now. He's cheated his way through his job by cutting corners- no matter who it hurts in the process,"

Sephiroth looked down at the table, as if mulling over what the woman had just said.

Ifalna stood up. "Hmm…" she observed, "I should head over to the store and buy some groceries. Will you be all right by yourself for a while? I shouldn't be more than half an hour. Feel free to watch some TV,"

Sephiroth nodded and got up out of his seat as Ifalna went over to the entryway and grabbed her coat.

"I'll be back," Ifalna called out, "Just stay up here until I get back,"

"All right," Sephiroth answered as he turned on the TV.

* * *

"Can you stand?" 

Vincent answered by slowly getting to his feet. Tentatively, he took a step, and then another, and then another.

"Must be the Jenova cells that got you recovering so quickly," the professor marveled, "Pity that the real thing caused such a disaster so long ago,"

Vincent said nothing.

"So often I wish that I'd never gone on that expedition," Gast sighed, "I feel partly to blame for what happened to Lucrecia. I should have never left Hojo in charge of the Jenova Project,"

"You're not to blame," Vincent held up a small mirror he found, looking at his now normal brown eyes, "I should have put my foot down with Lucrecia,"

"The woman was stubborn," Gast shook his head, "Ifalna reminds me a lot of her, actually,"

"At least I could do right by her son…though he suffered for seven years because of my self-pity," Vincent sighed as he got dressed, "But he'll be happy with you and your wife. He already likes you,"

Gast looked at Vincent. "You sound as if you're going to leave him here. I thought you would take the boy with you,"

"I am not fit to look after Lucrecia's child," Vincent stated, "As soon as I'm completely recovered, I'll be leaving,"

"Y-you can't just dump him here!" Gast sputtered, "I already have one child on the way!"

"Then I'm sure you can find him a good home," Vincent replied as he fastened the straps of his cloak, "I can't exactly go around knocking on people's doors asking to take the boy in,"

"Maybe if you cut your hair and changed your outfit, people would be less afraid of you," the professor pointed out, "Besides- it'll keep Shinra from recognizing you,"

"It doesn't matter," said Vincent, "I'm not finished with Shinra yet. I'll find a way to destroy them,"

"By yourself?"

"If it comes to that, yes,"

"Vincent…" Gast decided to address an issue that had been bothering him for days now, "You don't have to answer this if you don't want to, but…it was obvious how you and Lucrecia felt for each other. But she broke things off with you almost immediately before she became pregnant…do you think there's a chance that…?"

"There is," Vincent nodded, "But that doesn't make a difference. If I am the boy's father, then it's even worse. I should have protected my son from Shinra. Instead, I rationalized that if Lucrecia was happy with Hojo, it didn't matter. So I took another mission far away, not even putting two and two together. By the time I came back, things had already gone to hell,"

"I could run a DNA test," Gast offered.

"As I said- it makes no difference," Vincent shook his head, before pulling out a single strand of his hair. "However, I know how insatiable your curiosity can be sometimes. So if you want to perform one, then knock yourself out,"

He handed the strand to the professor.

"Vincent…please reconsider-"

"I feel much better now," Vincent interrupted, "So I'll be going. Thank you for everything you've done for me, and for welcoming both myself and Sephiroth into your home,"

"You can't just leave him here!" Gast protested, "And you're not better yet!"

"Trust me- it's best for him no matter who his father is," Vincent argued.

He spied the claw lying on the table and grabbed it. He then walked up the stairs, not taking one look at the boy sitting in front of the TV set. He left, slamming the door behind him.

* * *

"So there's no doubt at all?" Ifalna asked the next day. 

Gast had been up late running the DNA test. He'd found a strand of Sephiroth's hair on the couch, as he'd predicted. Thus, he was able to conduct the test without having to directly involve Sephiroth.

After all, the boy's had enough tests done on him to last two lifetimes…

"No doubt at all," Gast sighed, "The tests were 99 conclusive,"

"And he had the feeling he might be the boy's father," Ifalna said angrily, "And just left him here!"

"Hojo changed him," Gast looked sad, "Vincent used to be a man of honor…or at least as much honor as a professional assassin could have. Vincent seems almost…broken now. He's not the same man they hired as security for the science department nine years ago,"

"…Yet another atrocity to add to Shinra's list," Ifalna clenched her fists, "Forcing a man to abandon his own son…"

Suddenly, a crash could be heard from upstairs. The couple bolted from the room to see what had happened.

They reached the living room to find Sephiroth huddled in a corner. Three feet away from him lay a shattered mug.

"Sephiroth?" Ifalna ran over to the boy while Gast grabbed a broom and began sweeping the broken pieces of clay together. "What's wrong?"

The silver-haired child shut his eyes tight. _ I will not cry…! Crying is weak! Hojo always said that…_

_ Didn't Mrs. Gast say that Hojo was a liar?_ A voice in the back of his mind asked him.

"W-why…" Sephiroth managed to ask, "Why doesn't my father want me?" Gast stopped sweeping midway and looked at his wife, who laid a hand on Sephiroth's shoulder.

"You heard us talking?" she asked gently.

"Some of it…" Sephiroth admitted, "That Mr. Valentine was my father…but he was abandoning me. Why? Why can't I be like those kids outside? Like the kids on TV who have both a mother and a father? Why do I look different? And where am I going to go now?"

Gast and Ifalna looked at each other. Nothing more needed to be said. Both knew what would be done now.

"You're not going anywhere," Ifalna reassured the boy, "You'll live here with us now. I know I can't replace your real mother, but the professor and I can take care of you from now on,"

"Consider us your new parents," Gast smiled kindly as he dumped the broken pieces of the mug into the trash. He walked over to Sephiroth and Ifalna, then knelt down and ruffled the boy's hair playfully, "Though most TV parents aren't as eccentric as we are. Think you can live with a couple of oddballs?"

"Who's an oddball?" Ifalna pretended to glare at her husband.

The former test subject looked at both Gast and Ifalna. Finally, the dam broke. He threw his arms around Ifalna and began sobbing openly into her shoulder.

"Shh…" Ifalna reassured him, "It's all right now…welcome home, Sephiroth,"

* * *

"Have some apple cider," Ifalna filled a small cup and handed it to Sephiroth, where he now sat on the couch. 

"Thank you," Sephiroth sniffled as he took the cup and began to drink the warm liquid.

"How do you feel?" Gast sat down next to him. Ifalna sat on the opposite side.

"I'm sorry about the mug…" Sephiroth said sheepishly.

"Don't worry about it," Gast smiled, "The important thing is that you're all right,"

Sephiroth finished the cider and set the cup down on the coffee table.

"Things are going to be different for you from now on," Gast told him brightly, "I think the four of us are going to be a very happy family from here on out,"

"Four?" Sephiroth looked puzzled.

"We're going to have a baby," Ifalna confessed with a smile on her face.

"A baby?" Sephiroth still looked confused, "But I didn't see any tubes here,"

"Tubes?" Ifalna scowled.

"He means the tubes that the fetuses of animals created in the lab are raised in," Gast explained, "No, there aren't any tubes here. Our baby is developing the natural way. It's inside my wife,"

"Inside?" Sephiroth's eyes widened as he tried to comprehend that idea.

"You know basic algebra and yet no one told you about the birds and the bees?" Gast chuckled.

"Should they have told me?"

"Naturally, babies grow inside the mother, near the stomach," Ifalna told him, "In a few months, you'll start to see,"

"When will it come out?"

"In about seven months," Gast answered, "Meaning you'll have a little brother or sister eventually,"

"Wow…" Sephiroth looked amazed.

Gast stood up, "If you're feeling up to it," he said, "Why don't we all go for a walk together? The weather's a little warmer than usual today- what do you say?"

Sephiroth smiled for the first time since he'd arrived at his new home. "Sure,"


	3. Ch 3: Little Sister

Chapter 3: Little Sister

"You're almost there!" the professor shouted excitedly, "Just a little more…"

Ifalna's knuckles were beginning to turn white from clenching her fists so tightly for so long.

"Keep pushing!" Gast urged, "So close…!"

He could hear Sephiroth's agitated footsteps coming from above. Just then, Ifalna screamed in pain, and the footsteps became louder and quicker.

"One more!" Gast couldn't contain himself, "One more, honey!"

Ifalna screamed one last time as she pushed as hard as she could.

"You're all done!" yelped the professor, "It's over! She's here!"

"She…?" Ifalna panted.

"Yes, she!" Gast did as best as he could to tie off and cut the umbilical cord with one hand, dropped the scissors, and then grabbed a small white blanket and proceeded to wrap the squalling baby in it. "We have a daughter!"

Ifalna smiled weakly as her husband walked over to her with the tiny bundle.

"Aeris," he said to the small infant, "Meet your mother,"

Ifalna weakly pushed herself into a sitting position on the bed and took the little girl in her arms, leaning against the headboard.

"So you're still hung up on that name, then?" she smiled, "But it is a good name, considering it came out of that forgetful head of yours…"

"Isn't it?" Gast beamed, "Oh, the video tape!"

He rushed over to the camera and took it off the tripod on the corner.

Ifalna balked. "You…taped the whole thing!"

"Sure did!"

"You taped me all sweaty and screaming…and all those obscenities!"

"Every filthy word,"

Ifalna sighed. "Remind me again why I married you?"

"Because smart men are just that irresistible?"

"I hope you don't inherit your father's cockiness," Ifalna said to the baby, who was finally beginning to quiet down. "Should we tell Sephiroth it's all right to come down?"

"Alrighty," Gast went upstairs, still looking through the camcorder. He didn't need to go very far, as Sephiroth stood anxiously at the top. "There you are. Come and meet your new sister,"

Sephiroth hesitantly followed the professor down the stairs, where he slowly made his way to the bed. He stopped about three feet away.

"You can come closer," Ifalna encouraged him, "Come see,"

Sephiroth warily obeyed, and tiptoed to the edge of the bed, where he took his first look at the baby.

"This is Aeris," Ifalna smiled, "Aeris, meet your big brother Sephiroth,"

The eight-year-old could only stare in stunned silence.

_ So tiny…so helpless…was I like that once?_

Over the months, Sephiroth had learned Ifalna's secret: that she was the last known living member of the Cetra race. He knew that she could hear things from the spirit of The Planet, and could communicate with her deceased ancestors. He also knew that she possessed an amazing green thumb. Lastly, he knew that it was a Cetra that Shinra was after, who in their ignorance, had mistaken a parasitic alien for one of the Cetra, resulting in the experiment that created him and ultimately killed his mother.

The idea of Hojo ever getting his hands on his new mother and little sister made his skin crawl. True he was just a child, but the experiments over the years had left him with some amazing abilities. Abilities that he planned to use against anyone who dared to intrude on his new life with his new family.

Aeris began making gurgling noises. Sephiroth slowly reached his hand out to hers. The baby immediately grabbed his finger with her tiny hand. Sephiroth couldn't help but smile.

"Hello, Aeris," he said softly.

* * *

"Again with the camcorder?" Ifalna frowned as she and Sephiroth walked into the entryway, "You just got through taping only a couple of hours ago!" 

Nearly three weeks had passed since Aeris' birth. While Gast constantly obsessing over his daughter amused Sephiroth, Ifalna was getting annoyed.

"Please don't say it like that," Gast pleaded, "It's our lovely daughter- both yours and mine! Don't you want to capture her childhood on tape? You agree with me, right, Sephiroth?"

"Uhh…" Sephiroth looked uncomfortable, "I kinda get nervous when you tape me practicing, actually,"

"Traitor!" Gast pretended to pout.

"If you keep doting on her like that," Ifalna put her hands on her hips, "she won't grow up to be strong. Both Aeris and Sephiroth are different from the other children. And though that makes them all the more special," she put her hands on Sephiroth's shoulders, "Sephiroth is already aware of the dangers that awaits him. Aeris needs to grow up tough as well,"

"Never say that our children are in danger," Gast shook his head, "I'll protect my family no matter what. You three are my treasures, and I don't ever intend on letting you go,"

Ifalna smiled. "You always know what to say to make me feel better," she walked over to her husband and put her arms around him, "If I hadn't met you, I…"

"Should I take Aeris into the kitchen?" Sephiroth asked dryly.

His adoptive parents burst out laughing.

"Sorry, sorry," Gast apologized, "We'll behave, won't we, darling?"

"I suppose we'll have to," Ifalna sighed, but kept smiling.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.

"I'll get it," Sephiroth dashed over and opened it revealing…

"Hojo!" Gast looked alarmed.

All the color drained from Sephiroth's face. In front of him stood indeed, Professor Hojo, along with two members of Shinra's SOLDIER.

The gaunt man laughed. "Long time no see, Faremis. I've been searching for you for a long time. Hello, Ifalna…or should I say, Cetra? Hello, Sephiroth. Did you enjoy your vacation?"

"What the hell are you doing here!" Sephiroth finally found the courage to speak.

"Is that any way to greet your caretaker?" Hojo smirked, "After all, I practically raised you,"

"Professor and Mrs. Gast did a much better job raising me these past seven months than you did for seven-and-a-half years!" Sephiroth spat.

Hojo merely shoved past the boy and entered the house.

"How…did you know?" Gast managed to ask.

"Oh, believe me- it wasn't easy," said Hojo, "I had to turn over quite a few stones to find you. A whole year I waited. That's how much I wanted this new sample…and to collect my old one,"

He then noticed the cradle nearby. "Oh…my mistake…two new samples! Congratulations, Faremis,"

"Don't you touch Aeris!" Sephiroth forced himself between Hojo and the cradle.

"Hmm, Aeris, is it? That's a nice name,"

Ifalna went up to Hojo. "Please," she pleaded, "Aeris has nothing to do with this! All you want is me, right?"

"You, Sephiroth, the infant…" Hojo glared, "I need you all. I thought you understood once, Professor. We can change the future of The Planet,"

"Don't worry, Ifalna," Gast growled, "I'll take care of this,"

He charged at Hojo, preparing to deck the man, until one of the soldiers fired, hitting Gast in the leg.

"Faremis!" Ifalna screamed.

Aeris promptly began to wail.

"Bastard!" With lightning speed, Sephiroth ran over and snatched the gun from out of the soldier's hands. He quickly brought the gun down on his knee, snapping the wooden part, and bending the metal, rendering it completely useless.

Before the other soldier could react, Sephiroth kicked him in the shin, efficiently snapping his tibia. The man dropped his gun howling in pain, which Hojo immediately picked up and aimed at Gast once more.

"No!" Sephiroth jumped in front of Gast, and suddenly emitted a dark grey barrier, encircling Gast, Ifalna, and Aeris. Hojo fired, but the bullet was absorbed by the globe.

"Amazing…" Hojo marveled, "So I finally get to see Shinra's future general in action,"

"I'll never work for Shinra!" Sephiroth snarled, "Get out! Your stupid soldiers are weak, and I could break your neck in two and you know it!"

"You little fool!" Hojo growled, despite looking somewhat afraid, "Do you think you're just going to live 'happily ever after' with Gast and his family? Do you think you and that baby are going to simply fit in with the rest of the world? You're a _freak_, Sephiroth. But if you'd decided to stay with Shinra, you could have been a hero!"

He backed away toward the door. The unarmed soldier helped the wounded soldier to his feet, and the two followed.

"This isn't over!" Hojo shrieked, "Not by a long shot! You can run, but I'll follow you time and time again!"

They left, slamming the door nearly off its hinges.

Sephiroth released the barrier, and promptly collapsed to his knees.

"-Hang on, Faremis," Ifalna was saying as a green glow surrounded her hands that touched Gast's wound, "You'll be back to normal in no time,"

Despite her reassuring words, tears were running down her face.

"Are you all right, Sephiroth?" Gast winced.

"I'm alright," Sephiroth slowly got to his feet, "But you got shot!"

"I've got that covered, sweetie," Ifalna wiped her eyes, "He just needs to stay off his leg for a day,"

"We don't have a day to wait," Gast struggled to his feet, leaning on his good leg and peering into the cradle. Aeris was still crying.

"How is she?" Sephiroth asked worriedly.

"She's fine," Ifalna went over and picked her daughter up, "She's just frightened. Who could blame her? Shh…" she consoled the infant, "It's all right. Mama's here…everything's fine,"

"We can't stay," Gast stated flatly, "We need to leave this area. We should settle somewhere that's not only free of Shinra's influence, but also densely populated. They won't dare try to attack if there's other people around,"

"They're probably watching us," Ifalna pointed out, "They'll know where we go,"

"Not if we leave at night," Sephiroth told her, "I have an idea. If we leave once the sun finishes setting…I can see in the dark…you could follow me to the plane. We'll get in and I'll take them out if they try to shoot us down,"

"That's too dangerous-" Ifalna began to say, but Gast held up a hand.

"He's right," said Gast, "It's our best choice. We have just enough time to pack what we need. Food, clothes, and Sephiroth's sword,"

Ifalna looked at her husband, and then at Sephiroth and Aeris.

"All right," she sighed, "I guess we have no choice…"

* * *

Sephiroth sat in the plane while Gast flew it over the ocean. Next to him, Ifalna sat holding Aeris, who was fast asleep. 

They had managed to arrive at the plane without any problems. Some local vigilantes had chased Hojo and the soldiers out of town, not even allowing the wounded soldier to heal himself. The plane had taken off without a hitch, and they had been in the air for about an hour.

He stared out the window into the night sky.

_Do you think you're just going to live "happily ever after" with Gast and his family? _ Hojo's bitter words rang in Sephiroth's ears. _Do you think you and that baby are going to simply fit in with the rest of the world? You're a _freak_, Sephiroth..._

Sephiroth sighed.  
"Don't listen to Hojo, Sephiroth," Ifalna spoke suddenly, "If I could find happiness in this world, so will you and Aeris. That, I can promise you,"  
The silver-haired child nodded silently. He then leaned against the window and quickly fell asleep.  



	4. Ch 4: April, 2171

Chapter 4: April, 2171 

"Seph!" bellowed a loud voice, "Get yer silver ass over here and take care o' that cart!"

Fifteen-year-old Sephiroth looked up from his map and hurried over to where his supervisor, 20-year-old Barrett Wallace was waiting.

"Damn…" Barrett whistled as he watched the silver-haired youth effortlessly push the cart filled with coal out of the mine. Five years working with that kid, and yet the boy's strength never ceased to amaze him.

Gast had settled the family in a house located in downtown Corel. He had taken a job as a doctor, while Ifalna stayed home taking care of Aeris and Sephiroth.

Sephiroth had been put in school, but quickly tested into tenth grade. Gast hired a tutor for the boy. By the time he was ten, he'd passed his high school equivalency test and had taken a job part-time in the coal mines.

"Aren't there child labor laws here?" Ifalna had asked.

"Sephiroth doesn't need those laws," Gast had chuckled, "Something tells me he'll do a better job than the full-time workers,"

It was true. Not only did he excel at his job for only being ten years old, but Barrett, who was also working part-time, had taken him under his wing. Barrett was loud and often quite rough, but Sephiroth knew it was just a macho front and put up with it.

In the meantime, he'd kept up his swordplay, even taking kendo classes. Now he was a junior instructor at the local dojo, and he owned a real metal sword, albeit with a dulled edge. Eventually, he came to be known as the town's resident "boy wonder", though he was still pretty much a loner for the most part.

Aeris was able to grow up normally, attending the local public school. Though her intelligence didn't compare to Sephiroth's genius, she still excelled in all her classes, particularly reading.

"She has her father's brains, after all," Gast had said proudly.

She was a sweet child, who was the spitting image of her mother, in looks and in her special abilities. By the age of four, Aeris was already tending to her own houseplants, and listening to the Planet. Ifalna had educated her daughter on her abilities, and also had warned her not to reveal them to anybody.

"Hey, Seph!"

Sephiroth turned around and looked at his older friend.

"It's two-thirty," Barrett grinned, "Get the hell outta here,"

Sephiroth smirked slightly and nodded at the buff man. "Later," he waved.

* * *

Dozens of children came running out of Corel's elementary school. Among them was seven-year-old Aeris Gast, though her family hadn't used that last name since arriving at Corel all those years ago, instead, adopting the name Lanier.

Happy to be done with school for the week, Aeris looked around the sea of parents there until she saw a familiar face waiting for her.

"Hi, Sephy!" Aeris broke into a big grin and ran over to her "big brother".

Sephiroth smiled and held his hand out to her, which she promptly took. Together, they left the schoolyard and walked down the road leading home.

"How was school?"

"Boring. All we do on Fridays is review what we learned the rest of the week,"

"Mmm,"

"Hey, big brother?"

"Hmm?"

"Can we go to the park later today?"

"I don't see why not. We'll leave a note for Mom as soon as we get back home,"

Ifalna had taken a part-time job at the pharmacy once Aeris had started Kindergarten. Usually, she got off in time to pick Aeris up from school, but she usually stayed later on Fridays, since Sephiroth would work an earlier shift and would fetch Aeris in her place.

Aeris smiled brightly. The park was her favorite place to play. She could amuse herself for hours there when given the chance. Not only could she run endlessly through the fields, and play on the small playground with the other children, but it was the best place to hear the Planet's voice. She could lie on the grass for up to a half-hour sometimes. Though the other residents of Corel found that behavior to be slightly odd, they merely dismissed it as a childish idiosyncrasy.

"Hurry_ up_, Sephy!" Aeris was growing impatient with their leisurely pace and had begun to tug on the older boy's arm.

"Fine, fine," Sephiroth scooped the little girl up off her feet and into his arms. With a squeal of surprise, she managed to scramble onto his back until she was riding him piggy-back. Sephiroth began to jog the rest of the way home, with Aeris laughing gleefully the whole time.

* * *

Vincent stood on the outskirts of town watching the sun setting behind it. He'd heard about the Lanier family from a reliable source. Having his suspicions, he'd followed the rumors to Corel.

Seven years he'd searched. Less than a year after he left Sephiroth with Gast, he'd felt compelled to return to Icicle Inn. Despite all the rationalizing about Sephiroth being better off without him, he'd found himself wanting to know the results of the DNA test he was sure Gast had conducted. If he was Sephiroth's father, well…he wasn't sure what he could possibly do for the boy now, considering his mission to destroy Shinra.

However, all he found was an empty house and dozens of wild rumors about the eccentric man with the glasses and his family. He'd spent those seven years chasing after every rumor he'd encountered. Finally, his efforts had led him to Corel.

Taking a deep breath, Vincent slowly began making his way into town.

* * *

Sephiroth sat on a bench watching Aeris playing with a few of her schoolmates. He'd been there for over an hour-and-a-half. He would have preferred to get home early to catch up on his swordplay, but he'd always had a soft spot for his adoptive sister, and could never say no to her. "Eight…nine…ten…ready or not, here I come!"  
Sephiroth watched Aeris scouting around the playground in search of her playmates. He'd seen where each of the three other children had hid. Not very original hiding spots. He figured that once she found them, it would be time to go home.

He closed his eyes for a second as he listened to the sounds around him. The birds, the insects, the children…even the pickup softball game going on in the field. He'd heard those sounds so many times, but he could never get enough of it. Had Professor Gast not found that riddle Hojo left in the Shinra mansion, he would've never freed Vincent, who in turn, would have never freed Sephiroth from the Shinra labs.

_ The only good thing he's ever done for me..._

Sephiroth was ripped from his reflections when he heard Aeris' terrified scream coming from behind him. Quickly, he bolted to his feet and blindly followed the sound. Suddenly, he felt someone small slamming into him. He looked down to see Aeris clinging to him, her eyes wide in terror.

"What's wrong?" he asked sharply.

"There's a scary man!" Aeris pointed at a shadowy figure about fifteen feet behind her. Sephiroth recognized a familiar red cloak.

"Let's get out of here now," Sephiroth grabbed her hand and led her away.

"Who is he?" Aeris asked worriedly.

"No one worth talking to," Sephiroth replied angrily, "Let's go before he can bother us anymore,"

* * *

Vincent watched Sephiroth and the little girl leave, wondering at Sephiroth's hostile reaction to seeing him. He was sure the boy had recognized him

_ Were those tests positive? Does he now resent me for leaving him? I suppose he should…_

The girl bore a resemblance to Gast's wife. Perhaps they'd had children. It would explain why she had been with Sephiroth. No matter, though. It was going to take a lot more to shake him off. He'd spent a long time trying to locate the Gast family, and no angry teenager was going to shoo him away just yet.

* * *

"You both seem quiet this evening," Ifalna observed as the family sat in the living room watching TV. 

Sephiroth shrugged. He'd always been taciturn. That was nothing new.

"Not that I wouldn't expect that from Sephiroth," she continued, "But…" she turned to look at Aeris, who looked away.

"I'm just…thinking about…chocobos!" the little girl lied. Sephiroth had asked her not to tell their parents about the strange man in the park.

Sephiroth closed his eyes. His kid sister had always been a terrible liar.

"Chocobos?" Ifalna obviously wasn't buying it. "And what about chocobos?"

"Um…well, I was thinking that…" Aeris fumbled for a good story, "When I grow up…I want to get a…blue chocobo,"

"And that's been on your mind all evening since you came home?"

"Blue chocobos…require a lot of thought!" Aeris covered, trying to sound as grown-up as she could.

Her father snickered.

"All right," Ifalna wasn't having it anymore, "What happened? Sephiroth? Don't think I can't see that look in your eyes either- you're both hiding something. Spill it,"

The doorbell rang.

"I'll get it," Sephiroth sprang to his feet and headed toward the door.

"I'll help!" Aeris dashed after him.

"This isn't over!" Ifalna called after them, "Honestly!" She shook her head at her husband, "Chocobos?"

Suddenly, Aeris screamed. Both parents ran to the front door where they saw Aeris shoving Sephiroth's sheathed sword into his hands.

"Don't come any closer! My big brother'll cut you into little pieces!" Aeris warned the red-cloaked man in the doorway. She promptly hid behind Sephiroth.

"What the hell do you want?" Sephiroth spat at him, "Haven't you scared her enough for one day?"

"Vincent?" the professor scowled, "Is that you?"

"May I come in?" Vincent asked.

"What for?" Sephiroth sneered.

"Sephiroth, let him in," Ifalna said wearily.

"But-!"

"Let him in," the professor echoed.

Sephiroth sullenly obeyed, and stepped aside, allowing his biological father to come inside.

* * *

"So it's true then," Vincent sighed as he sat at the kitchen table with the two adults, "And now my son hates me. But at least he's safe…he's happy…isn't he?" 

"Vincent…" Ifalna looked sympathetic.

"It's not like I didn't expect it," Vincent looked down at the table, "The longer it took for me to find him, the more resentment I knew he'd have toward me,"

"I knew you wouldn't be able to stay away from your own child," said the professor, "How did you even find us? We had no way of letting you know where we were,"

"I searched for a long time," Vincent admitted, "A lot has happened since we last saw each other…"

* * *

"I can't hear what they're saying," Aeris complained. She and Sephiroth were waiting outside while the adults talked.

"I have no interest in what that man has to say," Sephiroth said coldly.

"But he's not a bad man," Aeris cocked her head to one side and looked at Sephiroth, "Mama and Papa let him in and they're just talking. He's not even that scary once he takes off that cape and the thing on his arm. Who is he?"

"He…" the silver-haired youth hesitated, "He's my real father,"

"Really?" Aeris looked intrigued, then frightened, "Has he come to take you with him? Are you gonna leave us?"

"Of course not," Sephiroth answered immediately, "This house is where my family is. Vincent Valentine abandoned me years ago. He did one good thing for me and then ditched me,"

"What did he do?"

"He got me out of the Shinra labs,"

"He got you away from the bad people?"

Sephiroth nodded.

"But he saved you," Aeris pointed out, "He must love you if he saved you,"

"After wallowing in his own self-pity for seven years," Sephiroth added, "If he really loved me, he'd have used those weird powers he had then to save me before they could put me through all the hell I went through as a little kid!"

Aeris immediately held out her hand. Sephiroth sighed and dug into his pocket, pulling out a gil coin and handing it over. It was a ritual they'd had for three years now.

"Don't swear," Aeris scolded him as she pocketed the money, "You sound like Barrett,"

The teen sighed.

* * *

"Avalanche?" Ifalna frowned, "What's that?"

"Let's just say that I'm not alone in my quest to destroy Shinra," Vincent told her, "I've since met a few others who hate what they've done as much as I do,"

"So you've joined a terrorist organization then?" Professor Gast shook his head, "When did this happen?"

"About six months ago, while I was searching, one of the false leads led me to them," Vincent explained, "They…helped me find you,"

"Terrorists know where we live…" Ifalna sighed, "Lovely,"

"Avalanche isn't like that," Vincent insisted, "They could protect you. Hojo is still searching for you. If I managed to find you eventually, so could he- outside help or none,"

"We're aware of the fact that Hojo is still a threat," Gast acknowledged, "Shinra is trying to take the world by force,"

"So you're aware of their invasion of Wutai," said Vincent, "Yes, they've begun to stoop to even lower levels. Junon is slowly being taken over, along with Gongaga. Until Shinra has a political and economic hold on every country, I doubt that they'll stop their reign of terror,"

Ifalna sighed and looked worriedly at her husband.

"You always read historical texts about dictators who have enslaved countries like this," Gast looked weary, "But how does one stop an entire corporation?"

"We realize it's not easy," Vincent admitted, "But if no one tries to stop them, it'll only get worse,"

He stood up. "I should probably be on my way. I'll be staying at the inn for a few days. Goodnight, professor…Ifalna. I hope you consider my offer,"

* * *

"Preparations for your flight to Corel tomorrow are complete, Professor," Hojo nodded absently at the trooper standing in front of him. The boy left the lab. 

_Finally…after seven years…I knew it would be a matter of time. All I had to do was follow that ex-Turk…soon the Promised Land will be within reach…_

He smirked._ Gast…I've already taken your job…but the look on your face when I take your entire family away from you…but that's what you get for standing in my way. Soon…the woman and those two children will be mine!_

* * *

Sephiroth sighed as he walked down the road the next evening. His concentration had been off, and the head instructor had sent him home early to "get his head straight". He'd arrived home, only for Ifalna to send him out to buy groceries. Bored, Aeris had begged him to let her come with him, and he'd agreed. 

"Sephy, slow down!" the little girl whined as she struggled to hold onto one of the bags and keep up with the older boy.

Sephiroth realized how fast he was walking, and slowed his pace, allowing the child to catch up.

"Sure was a long list," Aeris observed, "How long have we been out?"

"Almost two hours," Sephiroth answered as he wrinkled his nose. _Could swear I smell smoke…_

_"Hold it!"_

Sephiroth and Aeris turned around to see three troopers pointing their guns at them.

"Sephy…?" Aeris dropped the bag of groceries and clung to her brother.

"Is there something wrong?" Sephiroth asked coolly.

"We have orders to take you in," one of the troopers glared at the two kids, "Just come along quietly. We've already taken your parents into custody,"

"What!" Aeris looked horrified.

"Technically, Hojo only needs the woman," another trooper said, "So unless you want Professor Gast to die, I'd suggest you come with us now,"

"How do we know you're not lying?" Sephiroth glared at them.

"How do you know we are?" the lead trooper countered.

"You know that I could kill you with my bare hands," Sephiroth narrowed his eyes.

"Bullshit!" the second trooper scoffed, "What the hell can a scrawny kid like you do?"

"…Don't tempt me," Sephiroth hissed.

The second trooper made a move to grab Sephiroth, but the youth quickly caught the man's arm and promptly twisted it behind his back.

"I could snap that arm if I wanted to," Sephiroth leered at the other two troopers as the second one cried out in pain.

The lead trooper seized the opportunity and grabbed Aeris.

"I'd let go of him if I were you," he warned Sephiroth, "Don't think you want anything to happen to her now would you?"

"You're bluffing," Sephiroth didn't budge, "Hojo would have your heads if you damaged his precious specimens,"

"Do you really want to take that chance…?"

Aeris looked desperately at Sephiroth, too scared to move or speak.

Suddenly, a gun went off nearby. The lead trooper screamed in agony and grabbed his leg, letting go of Aeris in the process.

With one quick jerk of his wrist, Sephiroth snapped the bone in the second trooper's forearm.

"Come!" Vincent appeared and grabbed Aeris, quickly leading her away with Sephiroth following. The third trooper began firing, but with one quick shot to his hand, Vincent disarmed him and kept running down the road toward the Lanier residence.

They stopped only when they heard the sound of a helicopter flying directly over them.

"I'm afraid it's too late, Vincent," a familiar voice spoke over a loudspeaker, "Professor Gast and his wife are with me now. And I must thank you for having led me to them. Who knew I'd stumble across you two years ago? You've been lurking around Midgar this whole time. You've really let your guard down, haven't you?"

Sephiroth stared wordlessly at Vincent, his eyes full of rage.

Strange noises began coming from the loudspeaker, as if there was a scuffle going on.

"Run!" Ifalna's frantic voice shouted, "Don't worry about us, just get out of there!"

The scuffle resumed momentarily, and Hojo's voice came back on.

"Just give up, you three," said Hojo, "It's over!"

"They really have my parents…" Sephiroth whispered in horror.

"Mama…!!" Aeris screamed, and began to cry loudly.

Vincent grabbed Sephiroth's arm.

"We can't stay," Vincent growled, "Sephiroth- I'm sure there's something you can do to get us all out of town. I know a safe place to hide out for a while,"

Sephiroth did _not_ want to co-operate with that man, but he knew he had no choice.

He closed his eyes momentarily and summoned all of his strength. This was a move he'd been working on for the past year, only doing it late at night, outside the city limits, when he was certain that no one could see him. Even the professor and Ifalna hadn't know about this…

Sephiroth held his hands out for Aeris. Vincent handed the still hysterical child over to him. Reluctantly, Sephiroth grabbed Vincent's arm tightly, and began to concentrate. He leaped into the air, and found himself soaring over the buildings, with Aeris in his arm and Vincent in tow.

A flash of orange caught his eye, and he glanced down below to see the house, along with the ones next door, in flames. He then glanced at Aeris, who was clinging to him tightly, and had her head buried in Sephiroth's shoulder.

_Thank the Planet she didn't see that…_

* * *

"Where are we going?" Sephiroth demanded to know as he followed Vincent through the wilderness. It had been ten minutes since the odd trio had landed about half a mile from the city limits. The trauma of the prior events had left Aeris mentally exhausted, and she was now asleep in Sephiroth's arms. 

"It's quite a ways away," Vincent answered, "It's just a place where no one goes. I often go there myself to be alone,"

"I didn't ask for a back story," Sephiroth snapped.

"Are you familiar with the Ancient Forest?" Vincent cut to the chase.

"That's all the way near Gongaga!" Sephiroth exclaimed.

"Do you have a better suggestion?"

"I don't need your help, you know,"

"Maybe not," Vincent replied evenly, "I don't doubt that you can take care of yourself. But a seven-year-old girl's safety is at stake. What could you possibly do for Aeris by yourself? Both you and she are Hojo's prime targets. Do you want to see her go through what you went through when you were her age?"

Sephiroth clenched his fists and looked away. Damn him for going there! "I'll kill anyone who tries to do that to her,"

"They _will_ try," Vincent told him, "Besides- Aeris just lost both of her parents. The last thing she needs is to constantly be on the run. Give her time to sort it out,"

"…Fine," Sephiroth relented, "For Aeris' safety,"

* * *

Vincent lay on the ground some distance away from where Sephiroth and Aeris slept. They had settled some miles away from the Corel Desert. There were still a few hours left before daybreak. The trio would have to make do sleeping on the ground for the next couple of nights, knowing that Sephiroth couldn't fly all three of them express to Gongaga. 

_So Gast finally gets his way,_ Vincent thought as he stared off into space, _I'm now responsible for the safety and general well-being of my son…not that he wants it anymore._

Vincent hadn't expected Sephiroth to run to him with open arms, but he still hadn't been prepared for the verbal assault his son had given him. He knew that their future wasn't looking so great.

_Wouldn't it be a riot if this were all an elaborate scheme cooked up by Gast to force me to finally be in Sephiroth's life on a permanent basis? Ironic since that was the reason I was searching for him…_

But as Aeris' sobs reached his ears, bringing him back to reality, he knew that Gast would never be that cruel to his little girl, nor to the youth he'd considered to be his son for the past eight years.

"What happened to Papa and Mama?" Aeris wailed as she clung to Sephiroth, who had just woken up, "Where are they?"

"I don't know," Sephiroth admitted sleepily, "Maybe Midgar or Nibelheim, but I can't be sure,"

Aeris climbed into the older boy's lap. "What's going to happen to them?"

Sephiroth took a deep breath. "Aeris…do you remember when your friend Reisa's cat died? How you felt its spirit returning to the Planet?"

Aeris nodded.

"Do you feel either of their spirits returning there as well?"

"No!" Aeris shrieked as she leaped off of his lap, "Why do you say bad things like that?!"

"I just wanted to make sure…that they're still alive," Sephiroth reassured the little girl, "As long as you don't feel their spirits the way you felt it when that cat died…then there's hope,"

"I want Mama…!" Aeris began to cry again.

"I know," Sephiroth clenched his fists despite himself, "And we'll try to find them. But in the meantime…I'm still here. Big brother isn't going anywhere,"

"Don't leave me!" Aeris jumped back into his lap and threw her small arms around his neck.

"I just told you I wouldn't," Sephiroth chuckled lightly as he patted the little girl on the back.

Finally, Vincent cleared his throat.

"What?" Sephiroth cast an irritated glance at his estranged father.

"I'll find them," Vincent said coolly, "You just stay here and take care of Aeris,"

"The hell I will," Sephiroth growled, "I've got business with Hojo as well,"

"Don't swear, Sephy!" Aeris sniffled.

"Sorry," Sephiroth amended, before returning his gaze to Vincent.

"I just listened to you promise Aeris that you weren't going anywhere," Vincent reminded his son, "And now you want to storm Shinra headquarters?"

"As if you alone would do any better?" Sephiroth countered, "Eventually, I will go after Hojo,"

"They're probably expecting you to show up," Vincent went on, "And if anyplace is well-equipped to capture you, it would be the Shinra building. Then they'll find out where Aeris is, and take her too,"

Aeris' grip tightened around Sephiroth.

"Are you trying to scare her?" the silver-haired youth snapped at Vincent.

"Are you trying to break your promise?" Vincent retorted.

Sephiroth fumed. Vincent had hit him where it hurt.

"We'll figure out a plan," Vincent told him, "I know I'm not exactly your favorite person, but you'll have to trust me for now. I may not have been there for you, but have I ever lied to you?"

Sephiroth sighed. _It's true…_the back of his mind reminded him, _he's never actually deceived you._ He then looked at Aeris, still clinging to him, and sighed once more.

"All right," he whispered, "For Aeris,"


	5. Ch 5: Where Do We Go From Here?

Chapter 5: Where Do We Go From Here? 

"_I'm so sorry_,"

Vincent looked around Gongaga's run-down capital as the person on the other end of the PHS continued to speak:

"_I wish I knew what to do for you, but Avalanche hasn't tried anything so drastic as to organize a break-in to get your friends out of there. We're political activists- not warriors_,"

"Circulating anti-Shinra propaganda isn't going to bring them down," said Vincent, "There are only a few key people that need to be wiped out. President Shinra, Heidigger, that woman in charge of the weapons department-"

"_Scarlet_,"

"-and also Hojo. There's plenty of other corrupt people working there, but they'd be totally helpless without their leaders,"

"_You're forgetting the Turks_,"

"Most Turks only work for the money," Vincent shook his head, "I was the same. They don't want power. It's the ones who want power and already  
have a fair amount of it that need to be taken out,"

"_And the children are safe?_"

"Sephiroth can take care of himself. And he'll take good care of Aeris,"

"_I still don't like that you just left them in the wilderness_,"

"There was no other choice. I trust Sephiroth, however,"

"_…It's one thing for Shinra to oppress the people of Midgar and now Wutai, but to deliberately hunt down children and separate them from their parents…oh- I'm sorry, Vincent…_"

"I separated myself," Vincent waved his hand dismissively, "And now I'm paying the price,"

"_Don't start going on about atonement, please. It's too early in the morning to listen to your constant brooding_,"

Vincent glanced sullenly at the floor. "Shall we try and find people who might be able to help out with this situation?"

"_Let's…_"

* * *

"How are you feeling?" Sephiroth asked. 

Aeris glanced at her adoptive brother, then continued to stare out at the stream in front of her.

It had been two days since Vincent had left them in the Ancient Forest. Before arriving at their destination, they'd stopped in Gongaga to pick up clothes for the kids, camping gear, and a black chocobo to carry most of their new belongings. After spending the morning with the two children, Vincent had left with little explanation.

Aeris had loved to talk as much as her father did, but for the past four days since escaping from Corel, the seven-year-old had become quiet and distant.

"Are you hungry?"

No response.

"Thirsty?"

Aeris continued to ignore him.

"You just plan to sit there and stare into space?"

"Shh!" Aeris hissed at him suddenly, "I'm _talking to the Planet!_"

Sephiroth sighed. "I beg your pardon," he muttered.

Aeris closed her eyes. "I'm asking it about Mama and Papa. I've been asking it about them since we got away from the bad people,"

Sephiroth sighed again, this time in relief. She wasn't traumatized after all. "So you're fine, then?"

"…I miss being home," Aeris confessed sadly.

"Me too," Sephiroth admitted, "What does the Planet say?"

"It says they're still alive, but that's all it knows,"

"You sit there all day just to hear that?"

"The Planet tells me stories. They're kinda hard to understand, but it's nice just hearing it talk. I feel safe when I talk to the Planet…and when I talk to you,"

"Good," Sephiroth smiled, "I'm glad,"

"I'm bored," Aeris confessed, "It's nice out here, and I can hear the Planet way better than I could at home, but there's nothing else to do until Mr. Valentine rescues Mama and Papa,"

The two were silent for a moment.

"…It's hot here," Sephiroth observed finally, "I think that stream leads to a pond. Let's try out the fishing gear Vincent left us. I'm tired of eating just fruit. Then…hmm…I don't know how to cook. We're going to have to figure out how to do that. So I guess we'll just have to catch a lot of fish just in case,"  
He stopped when he saw the familiar smile return to Aeris' face, and then continued:

"We'll need a fire, so I suppose we'll have to take lots of walks to find wood. And I'm wondering what kind of animals live here. I suppose we'll find that out when we fish and look for firewood. Hmm…it really doesn't look like we're going to have much time to lie around, does it?"

"Nope," Aeris agreed, "So what should we do first?"

"What do you think?"

"If we're going to catch fish," the child looked thoughtful, "Then we'll already want the firewood in place. So I guess we should go look for that first,"

"Brilliant," Sephiroth smiled, "I should have thought of that. Let's go,"

He held out his hand, which Aeris took and pulled herself up to her feet. Still holding hands, the two walked away from the campsite.

* * *

"So they've set up camp at the Nibelheim mansion?" Vincent asked the pudgy youth sitting in front of him at the local diner. 

"According to our sources, yes," the teen answered, "Hojo was definitely seen there, with a ton of SOLDIERs and a few Turks,"

"Who else was seen there?" Vincent wanted to know.

"No one else," the kid shook his head.

They've got to be there…Vincent thought, the sooner I get them out of that mansion, the sooner we can get everyone under Avalanche's protection.

"We don't have many people who would be equipped to handle that many capable fighters," the kid told him.

"I already got that when I was on the phone," said Vincent, "I'm not sure what to do. Even if it's just me and a few other people…"

"What if we leveled the playing field just a little?" the man grinned suddenly as he took a summoning materia out of his pocket.

"What's on your mind, Wedge?"

"There's gotta be someone who could hook us up with some good mastered materia," Wedge explained, "And money isn't any object these days…thanks to our benefactor. Only 1st Class SOLDIER get to use decent materia. We could give 'em our own little army of materia users,"

"Do what you need to do," Vincent took a bite of his sandwich.

"Right," Wedge nodded. He stood up and left the diner. Through the window, Vincent saw him pull out a PHS and dial a number. Vincent could see him speaking to someone. After a couple minutes, the man closed the PHS and headed back inside.

Vincent swallowed the last of his sandwich and looked at the man expectantly.

"It's on," Wedge grinned, "Guess we'll be making a stop at Cosmo Canyon,"

* * *

"I must say…" Hojo leered at his subject, "You certainly have delayed my progress long enough. Eight years I've been searching for you and your family, and all I get is you. Who would have known my son could fly?" 

Despite the uncomfortable restraints on her arms and legs strapping her to the operating table, Ifalna smirked.

"Vincent is the boy's real father," she taunted, "So much for your greatest creation,"

Hojo's fingers tightened around the pen he carried. "No matter," he said coldly, "Vincent and I have unfinished business. No doubt the man will try to save you and your husband. I'll be waiting. In the meantime…" he picked up a syringe from a nearby table.

"Ah yes…" Ifalna replied sarcastically, "What lovely tests are you going to subject me to today? See how much pain I can handle? No…you don't want to risk losing your link to the Promised Land, even though I've told you time and time again that it isn't accessible to humans!"

"And I'm sure that you'll say anything to keep me convinced of that lie," Hojo walked over to her and held up the needle, "But 'the truth shall set you free'…for that is exactly what you will tell me…because if this serum I'm about to inject you with doesn't do the job, perhaps the fact that your husband's life depends on what you say will,"

Ifalna's eyes widened.

"It's up to you," Hojo shrugged, "Professor Faremis Gast may very well suffer a massive heart attack tomorrow morning…or not. Amazing the stories we're able to get away with these days…"

"Your idea of the Promised Land is a place overflowing with mako, right?" Ifalna's voice was panicked, "Fine- I can tell you where the closest thing to your idea of the Promised Land is! Go to the Northern Crater and look there!"

"Good," Hojo smiled wickedly, "But just for extra measure…" he quickly jabbed the woman's arm with the needle.

_ Forgive me, Planet_…Ifalna thought weakly as the drugs began to overtake her.

* * *

Professor Gast paced about restlessly. He and Ifalna had been separated upon arriving at the mansion. The coffins had been cleared out of Vincent's former holding cell, which he was now confined to. 

_I feel so helpless…_

It had been over a week since he'd seen Ifalna. When he wasn't worrying about her, his mind was on Sephiroth and Aeris.

_Vincent can't possibly abandon them now…but…even if he did, Sephiroth has always been devoted to Aeris. He's an exceptional boy. So long as he doesn't do anything foolish, they should be safe._

His constant rationalizing of the situation didn't help, he had to admit. But there was really nothing else. No doubt he was being kept as a bargaining chip, since he had already been purged of information on the two children.

He snapped out of his thoughts when he heard the sound of the door being unlocked. The door then opened.

Gast looked away. "I'm not hungry," he said curtly, "Please just leave me alone,"

When the person didn't respond, Gast looked back at the door.

"…Who are you?" he asked.

"………."

"You're obviously not a SOLDIER, so what are you doing here? How did you get that key?"

"Follow me,"

"Who are you!"

"I am on your side. That is all you need to know for now. Hurry- your wife is waiting,"

"Is she alright?" Gast asked worriedly.

"She is in good health," the stranger told him, "Please- we don't have much time,"

"Fine," the professor nodded.

The stranger nodded back and left the room. Warily, Gast followed closely behind.

"Do you also know where my children might be?"

"We can discuss that after you and your wife are safe. Time is of the essence,"

"How do you plan to get us both out of here? This place is guarded to the max!"

"Let me handle it. I know we've just met, but you will have to trust me…"

Suddenly, it hit Gast. Avalanche! The terrorists whom Vincent was working with! This person must be one of them.

_ Vincent, you are magnificent!_

* * *

"Is the coast clear?" 

Vincent peaked from behind the bush where he and Wedge were hidden.

"Too clear, if you ask me," he said.

There wasn't a guard in sight. The original report was that there were five Mps stationed at the front door.

"You think they might have relocated?"

"I hope not…" Vincent muttered, "But we'll have to check regardless,"

He checked his pistol to make sure it was in working order. Wedge did the same with his machine gun.

"Where are the others?" Wedge asked.

"They'll be breaking in through the back door," Vincent told him. He pulled out a walkie-talkie. "Valentine here. What's the situation?"

"_This place seems deserted_," a voice replied, "_Wonder if it's a trap? They've gotta know there's people who would wanna rescue the Laniers…or Gasts or whatever the hell their names are_,"

"We don't have a choice," said Vincent, "Our plans remain the same. Move out!"

"Whatever you say, chief,"

Vincent pocketed the walkie-talkie and nodded at Wedge. The two stood up and silently made their way toward the mansion.

* * *

"This is…kinda creepy," Wedge remarked nervously. 

The inside of the mansion was just as deserted as the outside. The lights were still on, but no sounds could be heard save for Vincent and Wedge walking quietly.

Vincent spun around and held his gun up when he heard a door open. Wedge did the same. Both relaxed when they saw it was only their comrades.

"Are you sure we got the right place?" one of the two men asked.

"I'm positive," Vincent answered, "This is the place. We'll split up. Wedge and I will cover half of the upstairs area and then the basement. The rest of you, check everywhere on this floor, and the other side of the second floor. If you don't find anything, then just cover us in case Shinra launches any surprise attacks,"

"Will do, chief,"

Vincent cautiously made his way up the staircase, with Wedge following closely behind. Deciding to check the basement first, they headed over to the spiral staircase and began their descent.

After they reached the bottom, Vincent stopped and held up his hand.

"What is it?" Wedge whispered.

"I hear something," Vincent took his gun in both hands, and approached the library at the end of the hallway.

As he got closer, he could hear it- no mistake- Hojo's insane laughter. The same laughter he'd heard before he'd been shot by the man fifteen years ago.  
_ And so we meet again_…the gunman thought grimly.

Vincent stepped in the room, motioning for Wedge to stay back. The worried teenager hung back, his gun still ready for action should anything happen.

Professor Hojo sat in a corner, still laughing like a madman. He didn't even seem to acknowledge Vincent's presence until the man stood right over him.

The raven-haired scientist looked up. "So it goes…" he giggled, "The noble gunman shows up to rescue my specimen…must admit though…you really went all out, didn't you? Who knew that there were others like her? You've got some amazing connections, Turk,"

"Where are the Gasts?" Vincent pointed his gun at Hojo's head.

"What do you mean where are they?" Hojo exclaimed, "After that brilliant show…how did you get all of my guards to just leave like that?"

Vincent stared at the madman, still pointing his gun at him. Hojo looked up at Vincent, and a slow realization came to him:

"You had nothing to do with it…" Hojo whispered, "My god…what is going on?"

"That's what I want to know," Vincent barked, "Where are Professor and Mrs. Gast?"

"I haven't the faintest," Hojo smirked contemptuously, "And they likely have no idea where you and those two children are either. My, my…seeing how long it took for you to find them the first time…it could be decades before that sweet little girl ever sees her parents again. You've practically made her an orphan!"

"Who did this…?" Vincent hissed impatiently.

"To think that I'd find out the truth about Jenova…" Hojo chuckled as he got to his feet, "And in such a way…but that just makes things easier for me…they won't find Jenova here anymore once I tell the president everything that's happened…"

The way Hojo carried himself. His constant giggling…it was as if the man was having a nervous breakdown from whatever it was he'd seen.

Suddenly, Hojo grabbed a scalpel off a nearby table and thrust it at Vincent. The former Turk was able to side-step the attack easily.

"Gotten faster since our last encounter, eh?" Hojo snarled, "No matter- I should have simply killed you! Back then I wanted you to suffer, but I should have simply put you out of the way! He should have been my son! You stole him, just like you stole Lucrecia! That bitch played me for a fool!"

Vincent cocked the gun.

"Sephiroth would have been in SOLDIER, and I would have killed Gast, and the two Cetra would be mine as well!"

He lunged again, trying to grab Vincent's pistol and shove it aside. The gun went off.

Hojo fell to his knees, eyes half-closed, then toppled over onto his side. Blood began pouring from the wound to his temple.

"You will never catch me off-guard like that again," Vincent told the fallen scientist, "Ever,"

He stood there for a moment longer, and then went back to where Wedge was waiting.

* * *

"I feel something…" said Sephiroth as he gripped his fishing rod. 

Aeris rushed over excitedly. "You get a fish?"

"I think so," Sephiroth grunted as he began reeling the fish in.

"Think it's a big one this time?" Aeris' eyes were as big as saucers.

"I think it's safe to assume that," Sephiroth looked at how far the pole was bent.

"Don't let the string break!" Aeris told him.

"I'll try," Sephiroth stood up and began tugging the rod back.

"I think it's coming out!" Aeris squealed.

Indeed, a decent-sized fish emerged from the water. Sephiroth continued to reel it in until it was thrashing about only two feet from him.

"You'd better turn around," Sephiroth reminded her.

Aeris' expression sobered as she turned and walked about ten feet away, covering her ears.

Sephiroth took the struggling fish and proceeded to whack it against the rock he'd been sitting on. After a couple times, the fish went limp.

"Is it over?" Aeris called out.

"Yes," Sephiroth answered, "Let's go get a fire started,"

The past week they'd spent in the forest had been relaxing. Aeris eventually seemed more at home there than she had in Corel. He'd discovered that she had a way with animals. Birds weren't afraid to approach her, and she'd befriended a couple of rabbits whose hole was not far from their tents

The first time she'd watched Sephiroth kill a fish he'd caught, she nearly cried. Since then, he'd always warned her when he was about to do the deed. Thankfully, she'd understood that it was important for them to eat healthy.

"The fish's spirit will return to the Planet, where it will be spun out again to live once more," Aeris had told him afterward, "…But I still hate seeing the fish have to die,"

They arrived at the campsite, where the firewood was already in place thanks to Aeris. But to their surprise, the fire was already lit.

"Hmm?" Sephiroth went over to the fire and looked around.

One of the tents opened up, and Vincent stepped out.

"Mr. Valentine!" Aeris exclaimed, "You're back! Where's Mama and Papa?"

Vincent sighed. "I don't know," he said.

Sephiroth scowled. "You don't know? What happened to the big rescue you had planned?"

Vincent ignored his son's sarcasm. "You're not going to believe this, but someone actually got to your parents first. Broke in and got rid of all the guards. Then they all disappeared into the night,"

"…But…" Aeris looked upset, "How are they gonna find us? How will we find them?"

Sephiroth laid a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"We'll find a way to locate them," Vincent told her, "I've already got Avalanche working on trying to find them. After all, they helped me find them before,"

_Which led Hojo to them as well_…Sephiroth thought bitterly. Speaking of which… "What about Hojo?"

A faint hint of a smile appeared on Vincent's face. "Hojo is dead,"

Sephiroth almost smiled himself. "So what now?" he asked.

"I'm taking you to Cosmo Canyon," said Vincent, "There's a couple who can provide you with a roof over your head and better food. We'll leave tomorrow morning. I brought an extra chocobo with me to make the journey faster,"

Aeris sat down dejectedly.

"You two have been well, I take it?" Vincent looked at each of them.

"Aeris learned to swim," Sephiroth nudged the girl with his knee, "Right, Aeris? You're a natural,"

"Mmm-hmm," Aeris said absently.

Vincent knelt down before the girl. "Aeris…" he said, "Aeris, look at me…I promise you…we will find your parents. It won't be easy, I have to admit. We have no idea where they are, but I think they're safe. It might take a long time, though. But in the meantime, I intend to keep you both safe, no matter what,"

"But you'll be behind the scenes, as usual," Sephiroth rolled his eyes, "So what else is new?"

"Sephiroth, the greatest thing I can do for you and Aeris is to help put Shinra out of commission," Vincent stood up to face his son. "I'd have loved nothing more than to have been able to raise you. At the time I brought you to Professor Gast, I was confused. I should have kept in touch, yes. And by the time I came to my senses, you were already gone. I searched for years trying to find you, and now I have. I intend to make up for that in any way I can,"

"So he's finally stepping up," Sephiroth sneered, "What next? Will you put me over your knee if I come home past curfew?"

Vincent's eyes narrowed. "I know you're angry with me for abandoning you, and I deserve it. But this _attitude_ of yours is beginning to wear just a little too thin even for me. I will give you one of two choices: you can come with me and leave your snide comments behind, or god help me, I'll _act _like a father whose son needs to be severely disciplined! Do I make myself clear?"

Aeris dashed into one of the tents and zipped it up behind her.

Sephiroth stared in shock. Somewhere, during Vincent's brief speech, the man had grabbed Sephiroth by his shirt collar and was now glaring intensely at him. In his fifteen years, only Hojo had ever managed to scare him. But Sephiroth did indeed feel fear right now.

"Y-yes…" Sephiroth managed to say.

"Good…" Vincent released his hold on his son and resumed his usual stoic demeanor, "Now that that's settled, we can have some dinner, and then start packing. Aeris, stop being silly and come on out of there. I'm not going to bite you,"

He smiled inwardly as the little girl slowly came out of the tent and watched Sephiroth scale the fish.

_ Did I do all right, Lucrecia…?_


	6. Ch 6: June, 2181

Chapter 6: June, 2181

The train came to a complete stop after ten minutes of running through one of the many underground tunnels that ran through Midgar. The people that had been riding stepped off, many of them taking care to avoid bumping into the sheath that stuck out from the belt of one of their fellow passengers.

Some merely took care to avoid it as they hurried on their way. A few took time to glance at the sword's owner, and found themselves shocked to see it was a teenaged girl, clad in a sleeveless pink shirt and blue denim cut-offs, her long brown hair tied back with a matching pink ribbon. Upon looking at her gentle, cheerful demeanor, one had to wonder at the oxymoron standing before them. Was the world really that corrupt that the typical girl-next-door was carrying a sword like it was a purse?

Aeris Gast got off, finally, and took a look around her, gazing at her new surroundings. It was the first time she'd ever been in Midgar, and one of the few times in her seventeen years that she was able to travel alone.

She reached into her bag and fished out a sheet of paper with an address, and directions. The place she'd be crashing at for the time being was located in Sector Five, where she now stood.

_Past a run-down church and near a waterfall,_ the last of the directions read.

She looked around once more, and then began to make her way out of the station.

"Excuse me,"

Aeris felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned around to see a girl about her age standing behind her. She had brown hair tied back into a ponytail. A red bandanna kept her long bangs out of her face. Her outfit consisted of a blue shirt and simple brown shorts.

"They say grass and flowers don't grow in Midgar," the girl commented.

Aeris recognized the secret code that Sephiroth had taught her before he'd gone ahead to Midgar. _We'll see about that…_she couldn't help thinking. "That's what hydroponics are for, aren't they?"

The girl smiled. "My name's Jessie. Your brother didn't like the idea of you walking through Midgar alone, so he sent me,"

_Typical…_Aeris thought. "Nice to meet you, Jessie," Aeris held out her hand, which Jessie accepted.

"Likewise," said Jessie, "Let's get going. Should only take us about fifteen minutes to get there,"

"All right," Aeris followed Jessie out of the station.

"How was the train ride?"

"It was fun! I never rode on one before,"

"Never?"

"Closest to that was when I rode the tram to the Gold Saucer on my seventh birthday,"

The two girls continued to talk as they walked down the nearly deserted road.

They came near the church mentioned in the directions, when Aeris heard a rustling noise.

"Wait," Aeris held the other girl back.

"What's wrong?" Jessie frowned.

Aeris waited for a moment, until a wino staggered out of the church. He stared briefly at the girls, but soon stumbled away once he saw Aeris drawing her sword and assuming a fighting stance.

"Oh, that," Jessie waved her hand dismissively, "Winos hang out at that old church all the time. It's the only really decent place they have to sleep. They're pretty much harmless,"

Aeris sheathed her sword, and looked sheepishly at her companion. "Guess I just came across as a paranoid nutcase, huh?"

"From what I've heard about you and Sephiroth, you have every right to be on edge," Jessie gave her a sympathetic smile.

"Just what have people been blabbing about me?" Aeris put her hands on her hips and pretended to look angry.

"Nothing bad, I assure you," Jessie laughed, "But Avalanche _is_ like a big family, so get used to having some of your secrets revealed,"

Aeris shifted uncomfortably. Jessie didn't seem to notice. Could she trust Avalanche with the secret of her heritage? Did they already know? After all, they had to know some of the reason that Hojo had come after them all those years ago.

"And…what else do you know?" Aeris stopped and looked at the other girl.

"That Sephiroth was originally supposed to be some kind of super-SOLDIER, and that your mother knew secrets about some place filled with ass-loads of mako,"

Aeris looked relieved. That was only part of the truth, and the only part she felt comfortable with them knowing. "Yes, they want to strip the Planet of mako…but it's not that simple. The trees you cut down can always be replanted. Animals can be raised for food. But there's no effective way to replenish the world's supply of mako…especially if Shinra's so bent on having the world powered by it,"

"They replenish it all right…" Jessie grumbled, "By killing innocent people,"

"So you _do_ know the real origins of mako, then?" Aeris smiled, "No wonder you guys are against Shinra,"

"That it's the physical manifestation of what the Ancients referred to as 'the lifestream'? Well, it wasn't until recently that we started to realize the consequences of abusing mako," Jessie explained, "A man from Cosmo Canyon named Bugenhagen had this machine that could give the Planet a voice- just like the Ancients could hear the planet, now humans can too, Wait…wasn't it…?"

Aeris nodded. "It was my father who built that machine. He came to Cosmo Canyon a lot. I lived there myself for a few years. Bugenhagen is an amazing man. Have you met his grandson?"

"Oh, I never met Bugenhagen personally," Jessie shook her head, "I haven't even been to Cosmo Canyon. But our branch over there told us everything about that machine,"

Aeris nodded. "The Planet seems to be in discomfort. And it blames the unbalance of mako,"

"Which is why we're here to stop the abuse," Jessie smiled proudly, "We've only been able to do little things here and there…but now our membership is at a record high. And we've got people who can fight. We're going to be taking things to the next level very soon,"

Aeris nodded again as they made their way to their destination.

* * *

"We're back!" Jessie announced as she and Aeris walked through the front door.

"Ah, you found her, then," a woman's voice could be heard coming from another room, "Just a minute,"

A moment later, a middle-aged woman emerged from the kitchen. Her dark hair was pulled up in a bun, and she wore a simple green dress. She removed her white apron and draped it over a chair nearby.

"So you must be Aeris," the woman smiled as she approached the two girls, "Vincent has told me a lot about you over the years. It's nice to finally get to meet you," She held out her hand, "I'm Elmyra Gainsborough,"

"Pleased to meet you," Aeris took the woman's hand, "Where's Sephiroth?"

"He's training a couple of rookies," said Elmyra, "Anyway- come with me,"

She led the two girls out the back door. Aeris looked around and smiled at the sight around her.

To her left was a man-made waterfall. A huge skylight stood hundreds of feet above them. Ahead of her was a set of stairs leading to two large platforms, where two other buildings stood.

"Welcome to 'Elmyra's Bed & Breakfast'," Jessie gestured around her, "Also known as Avalanche Headquarters. This is where some of the members crash from time to time,"

"Do you live here?" Aeris asked.

"Nah," Jessie shook her head, "I live with my older cousin Biggs and his buddy Wedge. Biggs is actually one of the guys that Sephiroth has been training,"

"You'll be staying here," Elmyra opened the door to the first building and led the girls inside. She stopped at a door at the end of the hallway. "You'll be just across from Sephiroth,"

Aeris opened the door and looked inside. It was a simple bedroom, as one would expect to find at a Bed & Breakfast. There was a dresser with a mirror on the far side of the room, while in the corner was a twin-sized bed, right across from a small closet. A plain beige rug lay in the center of the room.

"Oh, wow…" Aeris dropped her belongings and went over to the bed, plopping down on it. "Oh, it's so _soft!_" she rolled around on it.

"Geez…" Jessie couldn't help but chuckle at the girl's enthusiasm over an ordinary bed.

"The best sleeping bag in the world doesn't compare to this!" Aeris laughed happily, "I could lie here all day!"

"Then you're not interested in coming with me to see The Behemoths later tonight?" Jessie asked.

Aeris sat up. "The rock band?"

"The same," Jessie nodded, "They're playing a secret show at the Sector 3 club. I'd go with Biggs and Wedge normally, but they're training late tonight. Besides- I'm tired of hanging with those…_guys_ all the time. We'll make it a girls' night out. Come on- it should be way more interesting than lying around in that bed!"

"I've never been to a rock concert before," Aeris said with a grin, "Wow…this day just keeps getting better and better!"

Elmyra smiled. "Well, I hate to leave so soon, but I've got to finish dinner for six people…seven if Jessie decides to stay,"

"Which I will," Jessie interjected.

"Seven people, it is," Elmyra nodded, "All right. Jessie, perhaps you can introduce Aeris to the other three current tenants. I believe she knows them, actually,"

As if on cue, loud footsteps could be heard coming down the stairs. A couple other sets of steps followed behind.

"Where the &# is she?" an equally loud voice demanded.

"Oh my…" Aeris smiled, "I _do_ know that person…"

Elmyra chuckled as she left the room.

Barrett Wallace reached the bottom of the stairs and scanned the hallway until his eyes found Aeris. "Damn!" he exclaimed as he ran over to the girl and lifted her up into a giant bear hug, "Damned if I thought I'd ever see you or your brother again!"

He spun her around a bit before setting her back on the ground.

"I can't believe I'm seeing you either," said Aeris, "Ten years, it's been…"

"And you sure did grow up," Barrett looked at her, "I can see why you got that sword- must have to be fighting guys off left and right!"

Aeris blushed. "Fugitives don't exactly have time for that kind of thing,"

"So no greeting for us?"

Barrett's old friends Dyne and Eleanor stood at the bottom of the stairs. Aeris remembered Sephiroth running off with them occasionally after work. They were the only other two people whom Sephiroth had considered to be his friends.

"Oh!" Aeris exclaimed, "I almost didn't recognize you two!"

"Same could be said for you," Eleanor hugged the younger woman, "Oh, I'm so glad that the two of you were all right. And…I'm so sorry about your parents,"

"There's still hope," Aeris pointed out.

"Right," Eleanor corrected herself as she stepped back, "And I hope you find them eventually,"

Aeris nodded. "Thank you,"

"Guess I didn't need to re-introduce anybody," Jessie shrugged, "Stealing my thunder as usual, eh, Barrett?"

"Oh, hey, Jessie," Barrett finally noticed the other girl standing nearby.

"Ugh!" Jessie threw her hands up in frustration, "Don't forget about dinner. See ya,"

She left.

"So how did you end up falling in with Avalanche?" Aeris asked.

"That damn fire," Barrett growled, "Ever since Shinra burned down your house and those two others…"

"They did what!" Aeris looked horrified.

"You never saw what they did to your house?" Dyne looked surprised, "We all thought you and your family had died in that fire,"

Aeris looked at the ground sadly. Shinra really _had_ taken everything away from her. At least she still had Sephiroth, even if she was seeing him less often due to his missions.

"Five years ago, Barrett was in Rocket Town visiting friends," Eleanor continued, "He wandered off one night and ended up at some meeting of radical extremists. Those extremists were a separate branch of Avalanche. He told us everything he'd found out, and we eventually became part of the group's big plan,"

"Avalanche is everywhere, huh?" Aeris commented.

"And growing," Dyne added, "It's all thanks to Mrs. G. Ten years ago, Avalanche was just the name of an underground anti-Shinra newsletter. But when she cast her lot in with us, everything changed,"

"What is she to Avalanche?" Aeris asked.

"Our financial savior," Dyne answered in a low voice, "Basically- her husband was loaded. He was a colonel in SOLDIER, and he was making a very good living. Plus, he had an inheritance. He went to Wutai, against his will. He didn't believe in a lot of what Shinra was doing. Then he was killed in action. Well, Mrs. G. had already known Vincent, and he introduced her to the rest of Avalanche soon after. She used her husband's money to build the bed & breakfast, and used the rest to fund whatever Avalanche-related activities she could,"

"Amazing woman," said Eleanor.

_Turned a tragedy into something that can give people hope…_Aeris thought, _Part of the reason I came here instead of staying in hiding..._

"So what else have you been up to all these years?" Aeris asked.

"Well, they finally got married," Barrett gestured toward Dyne and Eleanor.

Aeris grinned. "So you finally did it!" Dyne and Eleanor had been on-again, off-again sweethearts when Aeris was a little girl. "How long has it been?"

"Two years last month," Eleanor beamed.

Aeris smiled warmly. "Congratulations,"

"Let's go see what Mrs. G. has going for dinner," Dyne suggested, "We'll catch up while we eat,"

* * *

Vincent raised an eyebrow "A rock show?" he asked as he sat down on the sofa in Elmyra's living room later that evening.

The woman nodded. "Don't worry- it's just a club in Sector 3,"

Vincent shook his head. "It's not that. I know Aeris will be fine. She's grown strong these past ten years. She isn't the timid child she was when I first met her. It's actually rather comforting to hear it,"

"She hasn't been able to live the life of a normal teenager, has she?"

"No," Vincent sighed, "And it's not good. At least Sephiroth was able to enjoy the first couple years of his adolescence,"

Elmyra smiled. "She's like a daughter to you, isn't she?"

"Yes, I suppose," Vincent admitted, "That, and I also owe her father my sanity. Yet, it's been ten years since her parents disappeared, and we have very few leads. It's hard…trying to stop Shinra, and yet I have my own personal mission. I still can't help wondering if Sephiroth still blames me for their being kidnapped,"

"Vincent…" Elmyra said as she sat down next to him, "You carry the world on your shoulders when you really shouldn't. You take the blame for every bad thing that happens. When are you going to stop doing that? At this rate, you'll drive yourself to an early grave,"

"When Shinra Inc. has finally crumbled, then I may be able to relax," said Vincent, "But…at times I wonder. It's been ten years since your contributions turned this organization into what it is,"

"_Our_ contributions," Elmyra corrected him, "I simply gave Avalanche the funds it needed and provided a safe haven. You're the one who trained our marksmen. And now your son is training future swordsmen. And you _did_ kill Hojo. Oh, I remember that celebration we all had when we heard that news. And to think I'd been worried that we didn't have enough skilled fighters when you were all we needed,"

"What about the failed assassination attempt on President Shinra two years ago that cost two young adults their lives?" Vincent argued.

"An honest lapse in judgment," Elmyra told him, "We were pleased with the progress that we'd made, and thought that we could dispatch him,"

"And instead, they were taken out by Turks hidden just as they were," Vincent continued, "Their tactics are much different now than they were twenty-five years ago,"

"Vincent, if you constantly blame yourself, then why do you continue to stay here and fight?"

"What else is there for me to do?" Vincent shrugged, "I'm in too deep to back out now. I'm just short of being a wanted felon. Until Shinra is gone, I won't be able to just live out my life in peace, and neither will my son, nor Aeris, or anyone else who has been targeted by them,"

Elmyra nodded. The two sat in silence for some time.

"When do you expect Aeris to return?" Vincent asked finally.

"Probably not until eleven or so," Elmyra looked at the clock.

"Very well," Vincent stood up. "I'll be in my room for the rest of the evening should you need me. If not, then goodnight,"

"Goodnight, Vincent," Elmyra smiled.

* * *

"So I take it Sephiroth taught you to use a sword?" Jessie asked as she and Aeris sat at a table near the stage.

"Yeah," Aeris nodded, "We'd just settled into Cosmo Canyon under the care of a couple from Avalanche. It was just something for me to do after school. Plus, Sephiroth figured he couldn't be with me all the time, and was worried I couldn't defend myself,"

"How long did you spend there?"

"Cosmo Canyon? Oh, about three years," Aeris answered, "Then Vincent decided that we shouldn't stay in one place for too long, even though Hojo was dead. We ended up in Costa Del Sol where we lived with an old man for six months. Unfortunately, that seemed to be a favorite vacationing spot for Turks in the wintertime, so Vincent decided we should get out of there immediately. So, we lived near Fort Condor by ourselves since then. Vincent would show up occasionally. He even gave me this sword on my fifteenth birthday. Three years ago, Sephiroth officially joined Avalanche, and I was on my own a lot more,"

"Yeah, I met Sephiroth two years ago when I joined," said Jessie.

"How old are you?" Aeris asked.

"Nineteen," Jessie replied, "What about you?"

"Seventeen. We had a neighbor who looked after me a bit whenever Sephiroth was away. Mrs. Gainsborough reminds me of her, actually,"

"So did you not have a decent bed in Fort Condor?" Jessie smirked, remembering Aeris' reaction to seeing the bed in her room.

"It only had one mattress," Aeris explained, "And I decided to do some camping for a couple of weeks before coming here, so it's a nice change,"

"Everyone put your hands together for The Behemoths!" the emcee yelled from the stage.

The entire room exploded into wild applause.

"YEAH!" yelled a young man with black spiky hair, "ROCK AND ROLL!"

He began pounding the table.

Aeris and Jessie looked at the man's enthusiastic reaction and laughed.

The lights suddenly shone on the stage, and a five-piece glam band began to play.

"I _love _this song!" the spiky-haired man shouted.

His companion, a youth with blond, equally spiky hair, slid downward in his chair, clearly embarrassed by his friend's behavior.

Aeris leaned back in her chair, enjoying the show. She'd heard this band's songs on the radio for the past two years, but there was definitely something different about seeing them in the flesh and hearing them up close.

"Shit…!" Jessie exclaimed.

"What's the matter?"

"Don't look now," Jessie said to Aeris, "But a couple of Turks just came in,"

"What!" Aeris looked panicked.

"Don't worry- I don't think they're after anyone," Jessie reassured her, "I think they're just here to see the band…not that it makes it any better…"

Aeris glanced around nervously and found the Turks that Jessie was talking about. There were two of them sitting in the back of the room. One was a tall, muscular bald man with sunglasses dangling from his shirt collar. The other was a skinny guy close to Aeris and Jessie's ages, with wild red hair that he kept back in a messy ponytail. She then noticed Jessie glaring intensely at them.

"Do you know them?" Aeris asked.

"Huh?" Jessie snapped out of it, "Oh, no. I don't know them. But…they're Turks. They're Shinra's most evil product, if you ask me,"

"They can't be all evil," Aeris smiled, "Vincent used to be a Turk,"

"_Used_ to be," Jessie pointed out, "He wised up, and is one of Avalanche's leaders now. He's looked after you and Sephiroth. Yeah, he's Mr. Doom and Gloom most of the time, but he's not a bad guy at all. The ones still wearing the blue suits…they're scum,"

"Well…" Aeris looked at the stage, "Forget about them- I mean, do you really wanna let those guys ruin your whole evening? You like this band, right? Just concentrate on them,"

"I suppose you're right," Jessie acknowledged.

The red-haired Turk had been watching the show while nursing a bottle of beer for a few minutes. Now, he had begun to glare at the spiky-haired man, who was now singing along loudly and off-key, trying to get his blond friend to join him. Finally, he got up and went over to their table.

"Hey," he tapped the man on his shoulder, "You're totally killing my buzz right now,"

"What? I can't enjoy myself?" the young man asked with a grin.

"Not if you're gonna keep pissing me off like that," the Turk replied.

"Hey, man," the guy leaned back in his chair, "Come on- we're here to just kick back and relax. It's not all about you,"

"But it's all about you and your lame-ass singing voice? What, are you auditioning for backing vocals or something?"

"If he wants to sing along, then let him!"

The Turk turned around to see Jessie standing behind him, arms crossed.

"What the hell is it to ya?" the Turk scowled.

"You come in here thinking you can pick on anyone who annoys you," said Jessie, "I've seen it before- you Turks are all the same! Midgar is your own little playground, and everyone here is merely a tool for your entertainment,"

"_Don't_ try to freaking analyze me, bitch!" the Turk shouted.

"Hey!"

The blond kid stood up and was now glaring at the Turk.

"What- you got a problem too, pretty-boy?" the redhead sneered.

"Please…" Aeris went over to them, "Let's not cause a scene. The band went through all this trouble to play a small, intimate gig for their fans. Let's not ruin it all just because one fan has a lousy voice,"

"Hey!" the raven-haired young man exclaimed indignantly.

The older Turk approached the table. "Reno, for once in your life, just shut up and sit down,"

His companion spun around to face him. "But Rude-!"

"Let it go," the bald man waved his hand, "How do you expect to get anywhere in this line of work if you let any little thing provoke you into fighting?"

"But if I'm outnumbered-!"

"You brought that on yourself," Rude grabbed Reno's arm and dragged him away, "Let's go hit the bar. This place doesn't even have anything decent to drink…"

Jessie watched the two leave the club. "It never changes…" she muttered angrily.

"Well!" the dark-haired man smiled brightly, "It isn't every day that I get two pretty ladies rushing to my defense,"

"He had no right," Jessie stated.

"Well regardless…" the young man stood up and pulled out the other two empty chairs at his table, "Why don't you sit down and join us?"

Aeris looked at Jessie, who shrugged. The two girls sat down.

"My name's Zack," the man gestured at himself, "That's my buddy Cloud,"

Cloud waved uncomfortably, his moment of bravery having faded now that he was in the company of the two pretty girls.

Aeris beamed. "Pleased to meet you both. I'm Aeris, and this is Jessie,"

"You guys big fans?" Zack asked.

"Hell yeah!" Jessie exclaimed, "I'm still amazed that I was lucky enough to find out about the show. How'd you guys find out?"

"Let's just say we have connections," Zack said with a smirk, "Did you know that they're actually in the studio working on a new album?"

"They are?" Aeris looked excited.

"Yeah, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that they play some of the new songs tonight," said Zack.

"Hey, can we hold off on the conversation for a bit?" Cloud butted in as the band started another song, "This one's my favorite!"

Zack rolled his eyes. "Okay, since _you_ asked me nicely…!"

* * *

"Man, that _rocked!_" Jessie exclaimed as she and Aeris approached the bed & breakfast.

"Those two guys were kinda cute, don't you think?" Aeris asked.

"Cloud was kind of a babe," Jessie admitted, "He's kinda young, though. He'll probably be a total hottie in a few more years,"

"I think they're both attractive in different ways," said Aeris, "Zack with his handsome ruggedness, Cloud in that shy but adorable way about him…"

"I guess…" Jessie shrugged before opening the door.

"I thought you lived somewhere else," Aeris pointed out.

"I do," Jessie nodded, "But it's late, and I don't wanna walk home alone. There's usually one empty room, so I can just crash there for tonight,"

They stepped inside the lobby, greeting the receptionist. They continued on to the common area. In one of the chairs near the one lamp in the room sat Sephiroth, reading a book.

"Sephy!" Aeris exclaimed as she ran over to him and threw her arms around his neck.

Jessie snickered silently upon hearing Aeris' old nickname for the swordsman.

"Out rather late, don't you think?" Sephiroth commented.

"I wanted to see my first rock show," Aeris told him as she stepped back.

"Jessie," Sephiroth nodded politely at the other girl.

"Hey, Seph," Jessie yawned. "Man, I'm gonna fall asleep standing up in a minute. Guess I'll go see which room I'll be sleeping in tonight,"

"Goodnight," said Aeris, "Thanks for a fun time!"

"No problem. 'Night, you two,"

"Goodnight," Sephiroth called after her.

"It's so good to see you again!" Aeris said excitedly, "I'm so glad I came to Midgar!"

"Right into the lions' den," Sephiroth reminded her.

"Ugh! Are you going to try and talk me into going back to Fort Condor _again?_" Aeris rolled her eyes, "Because I told you it's not gonna work,"

"You should have at least finished high school," Sephiroth told her.

"What for?" Aeris snorted, "As much as I would have loved to go to college like a normal girl, you and I both know that's impossible considering the files Shinra has on us,"

"I wish it could be different," Sephiroth closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead.

"I know you'd change everything if you could. That's what I love about you," Aeris put her arms around Sephiroth again, and then frowned. "Why do you always get so stiff when I hug you? There used to be a time when you could take a hug without getting so rigid,"

_There used to be a time when you didn't have breasts…_Sephiroth thought.

"I guess I'll turn in now," she paused, and spoke in a softer tone, "…You've been away too long, Sephy,"

"Must you still call me that?" Sephiroth muttered.

Aeris giggled. "Goodnight, 'big brother',"

She left.

_Ah, Aeris,_ Sephiroth thought miserably,_ I left you behind to protect you, and yet you still had to follow me eventually…what's going to happen now…?_


	7. Ch 7: The First Mission

Chapter 7: The First Mission

It began three years ago.

Sephiroth had been working as a farm hand a couple miles away while Aeris attended the small school in Fort Condor. It had always been the two of them, save for Vincent's occasional visits.

He and Aeris hadn't been extremely social people due to their fear of being found by Shinra. However, at a certain point, Aeris had begun bringing home a certain male classmate quite often.

He'd come home late one evening and found the two of them sitting in the field behind the small house they lived in. They were just talking, but the boy then had the gall to put his arm around Aeris' shoulder. Aeris hadn't seemed to mind at all.

Sephiroth found himself fighting the urge to march over there and break the kid's arm. Then he came to his senses and wondered why on earth he would want to do that. He had no good reason, but he still hated the idea of that punk touching Aeris like that.

_Jealousy?_

Sephiroth shook his head violently as he pushed that sudden thought out of his head. Jealous of the boy?! Aeris was still a child! Sephiroth being jealous would imply that he, a twenty-two-year-old man, _wanted_ a fourteen-year-old girl. A girl that he'd always looked upon as his kid sister her whole life.

Pushing the filthy thought out of his head, and convincing himself that the boy had no dishonorable intentions, he left the two alone and went inside. Aeris joined him about a half-hour later, blushing furiously. No doubt she and the boy had kissed. His suspicions were confirmed when he'd casually asked Aeris where she'd been, and the girl had squirmed and made up a story about talking to the Planet. She was still awful at lying, but Sephiroth had let the issue go.

Then, about two weeks later, Aeris came home from school in tears. She'd told Sephiroth the entire story about her fling with the boy. Apparently, on her way home, she'd caught him kissing another girl.

He listened patiently, and told her the boy wasn't worth crying over. He'd put his hand on her shoulder to comfort her, but then she threw her arms around him as she continued to let it all out.

Sephiroth had never felt more uncomfortable in his life than he did then. His "little sister" was sitting in his lap, her body pressed against his. She hadn't done that since she was ten…there was a significant difference now that she was older. These were moments that usually led to something else. Something else that he certainly did not want to name at the time.

Panicking, he stood up and excused himself, apologizing profusely. Cursing himself later for being so weak during Aeris' vulnerable state, he came back half an hour later. He set down a large carton of ice cream that he'd picked up from the nearby grocer, urging Aeris to eat as much as she wanted.

"That's what women always seem to do in the movies after a breakup, isn't it?" he'd said with a shrug.

Aeris had found his gesture to be amusing, but was grateful nonetheless. She'd hugged him again, and he'd felt the same uneasiness rising up once more.

After a fitful night's sleep, he'd called Vincent the next day, asking if Avalanche needed a good swordsman.

Before leaving for Midgar, he'd had the most awkward talk with Aeris about the birds and the bees that anyone had probably ever had. Still, he had felt somewhat relieved after the girl had laughed and promised him that she wasn't going to turn into a harlot while he was away.

He'd felt guilty about leaving Aeris alone, but thought that some time apart might put things into perspective. Maybe he'd find someone closer to his age. He knew Aeris would do the same eventually.

He'd initially worried that she would be upset by his decision, but she'd actually seemed a little excited by the idea of being on her own(save for the neighbor who had agreed to look in on her from time to time).

And so he'd arrived at Midgar, as the newest member of Avalanche. He'd been assigned to train a couple of members in the art of the sword, as well as going on minor missions. Most of them involved going outside of Midgar to relay information to other branches of the ever-increasing organization.

Today, however, was different. A week after Aeris' arrival, Vincent had assembled some of the members in the common area of the bed & breakfast. He'd announced that they would be undertaking a special mission, advising everyone to get a good night's sleep.

"This will, in essence, be our first major mission since the assassination attempt two years ago," Vincent addressed the small crowd standing before him the next evening.

Sephiroth, Barrett, Biggs, Wedge, and Jessie listened as their leader continued:

"Our mission is to destroy the North Mako Reactor. You all know the reasons why. We'll be boarding the train that takes us past the reactor. On my command, we'll all jump out. There's bound to be several guards there, so I trust everyone's properly armed?"

Everyone nodded.

"Good. And I will stress this: do not kill _any_ of them unless your own life is in danger. The people behind Shinra are evil, but that doesn't necessarily mean that all of its employees are. Which is why Biggs, Wedge, and Barrett will be our decoys. Once we get the guards away, by trickery or by force, then Jessie, Sephiroth, and I will proceed to set the bomb. We won't have a lot of time after that, so we'll need to move quickly. This will be a dangerous mission. You still have a chance to back out right now,"

Nobody moved.

"Very well. Any questions?"

Silence.

"Then let's move out. Down with the Shinra,"

"Down with the Shinra!" everyone chorused.

* * *

"Thank goodness this train is practically empty," Jessie whispered to her cousin. 

Biggs nodded in agreement. "Just a couple drunks. They won't exactly be credible witnesses to what we're about to do,"

Vincent stepped in between the two. "Get ready," he told them, "We'll be forcing the emergency doors open in a minute,"

Jessie looked around to see her comrades waiting by the two doors on the right-hand side of the car. Sephiroth stood directly under the escape hatch on the roof, ready to jump up and open it when the time came.

"Now!!"

Barrett effortlessly yanked the red lever to the side, the door sliding open instantly. At the same time, Wedge did the same with the other door, and Sephiroth grabbed his sword by its sheath, slamming the hilt into the door above him, which popped off like the lid of a jar.

The silver-haired swordsman jumped up, grabbing either side of the hatch and pulling himself up. He scrambled to his feet and quickly leapt off the moving train, landing gracefully next to his companions.

"Shit…" Barrett muttered as he shook his head in wonder.

Sephiroth smirked at his old friend as he pulled the hood of his cloak over his head. "Try to contain yourself, Barrett. We're on a mission,"

"Smart-ass…" Barrett grumbled as he and the others ran to the end of the platform where five Mps stood guard. He, Wedge, and Vincent aimed their guns carefully at the Mps' legs and fired.

The guards' cries of pain eventually faded as they collapsed.

"Sleepel materia?" Jessie looked at Vincent.

The gunslinger nodded, and led the group past the gate into the grounds of the reactor. Soon, they reached a door.

"Where the hell d'ya open this?" Barrett scowled.

"I'll handle it…" Jessie went up to the control panel on the side and pressed several buttons. The door slid open.

"How the hell did you know what to punch in?" Barrett scratched his head.

Jessie couldn't help but smile proudly. "I hacked into the system and found out everything about the reactor,"

"Let's go!" Vincent urged.

The six ran down the hallway until they came face-to-face with two Roboguards.

"My turn," Sephiroth drew his sword.

"Don't hog all the glory, hotshot," Barrett held up his machine gun, "Everyone else, stay back!"

Vincent, Biggs, Wedge, and Jessie obeyed and backed up about ten feet. Barrett unleashed his fury on the large mechanical guards. Sephiroth simply stood back and held up his sword, releasing the power of his mastered lightning materia.

Barrett cursed and jumped back as sparks began flying everywhere. The Roboguards collapsed in a series of small explosions. When they died down, the group continued on their way until they reached an elevator.

Jessie entered another code, and the door opened. Everyone ran inside.

"When we get off, this is where we split up," Vincent addressed the group, "Be on your guard- this is where things get crucial. Keep your walkie-talkies handy…"

* * *

Sephiroth watched as the last of the Roboguards near the core of the reactor collapsed. He and Vincent had battled eight of them, and four Mps since the group had split up. The Mps were dragged away by Barrett, Biggs and Wedge, who had been kept on standby. 

Finally, the trio reached their destination.

Sephiroth pulled out his walkie-talkie. "Are the guards safely out of the way?"

"_Yeah,"_ Biggs answered, _"All the guards we expected to find are accounted for. Are you at the spot?"_

"We are," Sephiroth affirmed, "Wait for us at the meeting place. We should be there in fifteen to twenty minutes,"

"_Roger,"_

"Jessie- do your thing," Vincent ordered the girl.

"Didn't you design this bomb?" Jessie cocked her head to one side, "You should be the one to set it,"

"I need to watch to make sure no other Shinra guards decide to pull anything," Vincent answered, "Unless you think you can hold them off while I do the job,"

"Point taken," Jessie knelt down and began to set the bomb.

"See anything?" Sephiroth asked his father.

"No," Vincent shook his head, "All's well for now,"

"Done!" Jessie stood up after a minute.

Suddenly, an alarm went off. The trio heard a crashing sound, and looked around until they saw a large mechanical scorpion approaching them.

"Shit!" Jessie cursed, "I saw the blueprints for these! Attack when the tail's down! Otherwise, it'll counter with its laser!"

Sephiroth raised his sword and unleashed an Aqua Breath spell on the robot. It instantly short-circuited and crashed to the ground.

"…Or just forget what I said," Jessie said, stunned.

"Go!!" Vincent commanded, "We have ten minutes to detonation. Hopefully, the others are already on their way out,"

The three ran back the way they came, thankfully without any trouble this time.

Jessie struggled behind Sephiroth and Vincent, but kept quiet. Shouting for them to wait up would only attract unwanted attention from any remaining guards.

The two men ran through the door at the end of the catwalk. Just then, Jessie tripped and crashed to the ground, crying out in pain despite herself. She quickly got to her feet, only to feel something sharp poking her in the back.

"Turn around, and don't try anything," a somewhat familiar male voice told her.

Jessie gulped and turned around slowly, then gasping as she saw who stood behind her.

Zack's eyes widened as he lowered his large sword slightly. "It's you!"

"You're a SOLDIER…" Jessie shook her head, "So that's what your 'connections' were…"

"Look…" Zack pleaded, "Just get out of here and don't come near here again- I don't want to have to fight you!"

"I could say the same for you," Jessie held up her whip, "We've already done what we needed to do- if you don't follow me out of here, your life is as good as over,"

"Don't underestimate me," Zack told her.

"Don't underestimate _me!_" Jessie snapped, "There's a bomb at the reactor that's set to explode in six minutes! It would take you that long just to get to the bomb. There's no way you can disarm it. Please, just run away- I don't want to see you get killed!"

Zack glared at her for a moment before he growled and lowered his sword.

"So much for my promotion…" he muttered before he ran.

Jessie sighed in relief as she followed him.

* * *

"There you are!" Barrett exclaimed as he saw Jessie arrive at the meeting place. Everyone else had already made it there. 

"Sorry I'm late," Jessie panted, "I fell, and then had an encounter with one of the guards. Thankfully, he valued his own life enough to leave me alone after I told him about the bomb,"

"We're all here, then," Vincent observed, "Good,"

Just then, a deafening blast could be heard. Everyone turned around to see the reactor enveloped in flames.

"Was all _that_ from my bomb??" Jessie exclaimed, "Geez! I completely underestimated it!"

"Didn't you read the specs when you built it?" Sephiroth asked her.

"I must've made a miscalculation somewhere," Jessie sighed. "Ah well. I should be proud, not frustrated. That was my debut as a bomber! Maybe eventually, I can ditch the whip and just bomb the hell out of everything!"

"Just don't blow your arm off if you underestimate things again," Vincent told her. "Good job, everyone. We'll split up again, and meet at headquarters,"

The group broke up into pairs. Jessie left with Biggs, and Barrett left with Wedge, leaving Vincent and Sephiroth to find their way back together.

"We should have kept an eye on Jessie," Sephiroth shook his head in disgust, "If anything had gone wrong, we wouldn't have been able to protect her,"

Vincent grimaced. The boy was right.

"Are you really going to put Aeris in that kind of danger?" Sephiroth asked.

"Aeris isn't ready for a mission like ours," Vincent acknowledged, "More likely, she'll be doing low-level assignments for a while,"

Sephiroth clenched the hilt of his sword. "She should have stayed in Fort Condor,"

"Aeris is old enough to make her own decisions," said Vincent, "It's time for you to stop playing the role of the over-protective brother _and_ parent. You've known that girl her whole life. Have a little faith in her,"

"I promised myself I'd always protect her," Sephiroth told the gunslinger.

"By leaving her alone at the age of fourteen to participate in our missions?" Vincent eyed his son, "Frankly, I'm not entirely convinced that the reasons you gave at the time are the whole story. I didn't say anything then, but your recent attitude over this whole situation is further proof that there's more than meets the eye in this situation,"

Sephiroth's eyes narrowed. "Let's just get back to headquarters,"

Vincent knew better than to press his son further when he had that expression on his face. "As you wish," he said.

* * *

The two reached the bed & breakfast half-an-hour later. Vincent silently made his way to Elmyra's house, while Sephiroth entered the main building to grab a snack. He was about to go into the pantry when he noticed a familiar figure sprawled out on the couch. 

Sephiroth went over to Aeris and gently nudged her awake.

"Hey," Aeris yawned as she sat up, "So how'd it go?"

"Mission accomplished," Sephiroth smiled faintly. "And don't worry- no one was killed,"

Aeris sighed in relief. "Good," she said, "I'm glad to know we don't have to stoop down to Shinra's level,"

"Go back to your room," Sephiroth told her, "I'm fine. These missions are only going to increase, depending on how much success we have. You'll get old before your time if you keep worrying about everyone,"

"Don't worry," Aeris reassured him, "I won't be waiting up for a while. Mrs. G assigned me a mission of my own. I'll be leaving the day after tomorrow, once I'm briefed and fully prepared,"

Sephiroth's eyes widened in alarm.

"Relax," Aeris giggled, "It's nothing like bombing a reactor. I just need to relay the news to the people in Gongaga. Normally Jessie would just send an email, but technology there hasn't caught up with us just yet. And Mrs. G doesn't trust the postal system,"

Sephiroth frowned, saying nothing.

"Stop looking like that," Aeris looked exasperated, "Sometimes I think you still look at me like I'm seven and not seventeen. I'm not the crybaby I used to be, y'know. And I owe a lot of that to you,"

"I'm…just tired," Sephiroth lied, "I should go, actually. I just came to grab a bite to eat. We still need to brief Mrs. G on what happened on the mission. And you should go to bed. You'll probably be spending most of tomorrow getting ready for your journey,"

"All right," Aeris yawned again, "Goodnight,"

"Goodnight, Aeris,"

Sephiroth watched the girl go upstairs, and then hurried into the pantry, grabbing an apple before he took off.

"You're late," Elmyra frowned as the swordsman sauntered into the meeting room, "We've been waiting for you,"

"Sorry," Sephiroth apologized as he sat down and took a bite of his apple.

"All I've been told so far is that the mission was a success," said Elmyra.

"Yes," Vincent nodded, "I suppose we can start from the beginning…"


	8. Ch 8: Gongaga

Chapter 8: Gongaga

Aeris woke up early the next morning. Everyone involved in the mission had been up until almost three in the morning as further discussions ensued following the briefing. As a result, the B&B had been rather quiet, as everyone had slept late.

After having breakfast with Dyne and Eleanor, Aeris had gone back to her room. Digging through her belongings, she found a packet of tulip seeds that she'd been holding onto for a while, as well as her prized trowel. She then went outside, stopping in the kitchen first to get a glass of water- the closest thing to a watering can that she'd likely find in Midgar.

The teen knelt down at the side of the house and proceeded to dig up the thin soil.

"So you're back to that again?" a familiar voice asked her.

Aeris looked up to see Sephiroth standing over her. "Oh, hi!" she greeted him, "Yeah- I had this great idea to make a little extra pocket money. If it's true that nothing can grow in Midgar, then this outta be my biggest challenge yet. After all, I was making things grow out of rock in Cosmo Canyon when I was nine. Flowers here would be worth a lot of money, don't you think?"

"I hate to break it to you," Sephiroth told her, "But not many people in Midgar would really care about flowers,"

Aeris was unfazed. "Then think of it as some kind of subterfuge. Who would suspect an innocent flower girl of working with terrorists? Plus, if I could just sell even a couple flowers every day for one gil, every day, I could at least make _something_,"

"What do you want to buy?" Sephiroth reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet, "I'll take care of it for you,"

"I want to buy it _myself!_" Aeris looked frustrated, "I want to buy a dress. I haven't had a new one in ages,"

"A dress doesn't exactly serve much purpose for a swordswoman," Sephiroth told her as he put his wallet away.

Aeris ignored him. "I saw the _perfect_ outfit at Wall Market the other day. This pink dress, and one of those padded short-sleeved jackets. It was red…oh, I fell in love with it the moment I saw it!"

"Don't short sleeves defeat the purpose of a jacket?" Sephiroth wondered aloud.

"I guess I could expect that kind of remark coming from a guy who's had that same cloak for five years," Aeris rolled her eyes.

"What's wrong with it?" Sephiroth absently touched one of the lapels of his trench coat-like cloak.

"You just don't understand the _aesthetic_ aspect of clothing," Aeris shook her head, "Guys never do,"

"Forgive me. I guess trying to rid the world of an evil corporation that ruined our lives isn't enough," Sephiroth deadpanned.

"Anyway," Aeris continued, "_These_ flowers are for Mrs. G. Sort of a way to thank her for taking me in and all. I was thinking of trying to find another place to plant the ones I want to sell,"

"Don't you have to get ready for tomorrow?" Sephiroth asked her.

"Well, yeah," Aeris nodded, "But that shouldn't take more than a couple hours. The day is still young, after all,"

"Ambitious as always," Sephiroth commented.

Just then, a young man on a motor scooter rode by, tossing a newspaper at the front door. On the front page was a giant headline about the reactor explosion. The carrier turned around and sped away.

Sephiroth picked up the newspaper and began to read. "It says that Sector 2 still doesn't have any power,"

Aeris shrugged. "Shinra never invested in any backup form of power. Corrupt _and_ cheap,"

Sephiroth's mouth twisted into a frown as he read the rest of the article. "All they did was make Shinra look like heroes. Even the newspapers can't be trusted!"

"I guess that was to be expected,"

"I suppose," Sephiroth folded the newspaper back into place and tossed it back down. "Not like I did this for fame and recognition,"

"There!" Aeris patted down the last of the thin soil, "All set. I'll check on it later tonight. Just a little more special treatment ought to make them grow just fine while I'm gone,"

Sephiroth nodded silently. "I should get some breakfast," he said, "Or lunch, I suppose,"  
"See ya later, then," Aeris smiled as he walked over to the B&B.

* * *

"Clothes…check. Sword…never leave home without it. Tent and sleeping bag…check. Lantern…check. Non-perishable food…check. Train ticket out of Midgar…check. Books so I don't get bored, check!"

Aeris smiled, satisfied that her preparations were complete.

Aside from her packing, she had spent most of the day relaxing, as had the rest of Avalanche. She'd then gone to bed early, sleeping peacefully until she awoke at six the next morning. 

Aeris grabbed her belongings and headed over to the dining area.

"Good morning, Aeris," Elmyra greeted her as she walked inside.

"Good morning," Aeris nodded, "What's for breakfast?"

"Nibelheim waffles," Elmyra set a plate before the girl, "I figured you'd be up early, so I made a special dish for you,"

"You didn't have to do that…thank you so much!" Aeris immediately dug into her breakfast.

"I'm surprised Sephiroth wasn't up as well," Elmyra smiled, "I half expected him to escort you to the train station himself,"

Aeris rolled her eyes and swallowed her food. "Yeah, that's Sephiroth for you,"

"He's not exactly the most sociable man," said Elmyra, "But his devotion to your well-being is admirable,"

"Gets a little annoying sometimes," Aeris admitted, "Sometimes, he seems to play the role of a surrogate father as well as a big brother,"

"He means well,"

"Oh, I know," Aeris acknowledged, "It was mostly after my parents disappeared that he became so protective of me. And I'm glad he was there for me in the beginning. That time after leaving Corel was the scariest time of my life,"

"I'm sure it was," Elmyra nodded sympathetically.

"But he took my mind off it all," Aeris went on, "He taught me to swim when we were staying in the Ancient Forest. He taught me to use a sword when we moved to Cosmo Canyon. And I always feel safe when I'm around him,"

"Reminds me of my late husband," Elmyra smiled wistfully.

Aeris laughed nervously. "I think there's a difference there, Mrs. G,"

Elmyra chuckled. "I suppose,"

* * *

_It's been a while since I've been on a boat…_Aeris thought as she stood at the railing of the large vessel.

"Mommy, can I have a sword?" she heard a little girl asking her mother nearby.

"Swords aren't for young ladies," the mother replied.

"But _she_ has one!" the girl pointed at Aeris.

"Don't point!" the mother scolded as she hurried the girl away.

Aeris absently touched the hilt of her sword. _What would my mother have thought of me using one of these?_ She then shook her head. _She'd have understood…no, rather _encouraged_ it._

Thinking back to when a time when she was six, Aeris let her memories carry her away.

* * *

"_Long ago, our people were strong warriors who would always protect their world from harm. Every world they settled into, it was the same,"_

"_Did they travel to a lot of worlds?"_

"_A lot of them did. They liked to travel a lot…to see other places…and make them come alive,"_

"_Why don't we get to go to other planets, Mama? Is it because Papa and Sephy aren't Cetra?"_

"_Well, sweetie, the means to travel like that have been lost to us for centuries. But someday, when you're much older, you'll at least get the chance to travel to other countries,"_

"_That sounds neat!"_

"_Yes, it is. But you'll have to grow up strong, just like your ancestors. As far as I know, you and I are the only Cetra left. And there are people who would want to come after us, since we're all alone against them,"_

"_Why do people want to come after us?"_

"_Because we're different. And unfortunately, there are people who don't like others who are different,"_

"_That's why I'm not s'posed to tell anyone about what we are, right? And why Sephy can't tell anyone what he is?"_

"_Yes, I'm afraid so,"_

"_I won't tell anyone, Mama! And I'll grow up to be big and strong, just like Sephy…!"_

* * *

Aeris closed her eyes at the memory. _She'd be proud of me…I know she would…wherever she is…_

Opening her eyes again, Aeris noticed the strip of land in the horizon. She knew they were approaching Costa Del Sol. Soon the rest of her journey would continue. It would take a few more days before she reached Gongaga, and the prospect of camping out for a couple nights under the stars never failed to excite her. She was definitely a nature-lover, that was for sure.

"_Attention, passengers!_" a voice on the PA system announced, "_We will be docking shortly. Please gather all of your belongings and prepare to disembark,_"

Aeris grinned excitedly as she headed toward her cabin.

_And so the adventure resumes!_

* * *

The land of Gongaga was exactly as Aeris remembered from her travels as a child. Before her stood a barren, desert city full of crumbling buildings. In the distance, she could see the withering farmlands, barely yielding enough food for the farmers to exchange within the area.

Aeris once again felt the familiar urge rising up within her. The urge to put everything else aside and save this place from its dilapidated state. All it would take was one seed…

She shook her head, reminding herself that she was here on a different mission. Gathering her thoughts, she took out the piece of paper giving her directions to the house where the agents lived. She would be on her own, this time. Elmyra had given her specific instructions _not_ to ask for directions. Now that Avalanche had made their big move the other night, no chances could be taken to arouse the suspicion of _anyone_.

Aeris made her way down the road, searching for the first street sign on her list. Looking carefully, she spotted it in under a minute. She turned onto that street, and followed it until she came to a fork in the road. As the directions said, she took a right onto a small dead-end. At that end was a small white house.

_Bingo!_

Aeris grinned as she made her way over to the house and knocked on the door.

* * *

The sun was beginning to set as Zack looked around, smiling sadly. As much as he loved his family, after being around the world with SOLDIER, Gongaga had become a letdown whenever he returned.

_Someday, I'll get them away from here…they deserve more than this…_

After the reactor explosion, his superior officers had given him some time off while they looked for another place to assign him to. Since it had been over a year since he'd been home, Zack had decided to surprise his parents, having arrived just a few days ago.

Greeting a few familiar faces, the young soldier made his way down the dirt road leading back home.

"It's him!"

"Told you he was back!"

Zack turned around to see a couple teenage girls watching him from the distance. He flashed them his winning smile and waved. The two girls ran away giggling.

_I feel like a pop star or something…._Zack smiled and shook his head as he turned to go.

_Wham!!_

Zack hadn't seen the other person walking in the opposite direction. Hastily, he began to apologize, when he saw a familiar face.

"Zack??" Aeris exclaimed, "Wow- imagine meeting you here of all places!"

Zack almost smiled, until he remembered who her friend had turned out to be.

"Did your friend Jessie send you to spy on me?" he glared at her.

"Whoa- what's Jessie have to do with this?" Aeris asked confusedly.

"I know she was one of the people involved in bombing the reactor," Zack told her.

Aeris went deathly pale.

"So she didn't tell you, did she?" Zack smirked, "Allow me to reintroduce myself: Zack Knightblade- SOLDIER 1st class. I was given leave since the reactor is no longer there for me to guard,"

"So the happy-go-lucky tone-deaf guy I met at the show was just a façade?" Aeris' eyes narrowed at the thought of having been deceived.

"ARGH!! Enough with the 'tone-deaf' bit!!" Zack exploded, "I suppose you're some kind of siren yourself??"

"Don't change the subject!" Aeris shot back, "I had no idea you were going to Gongaga as well! Had I known you were in SOLDIER, I never would have come!"

"Well, regardless…" Zack shook his head, "…I can't believe you're all bad. Jessie did warn me…and they took great care to ensure that no one was killed. Just…why bomb the reactor in the first place?"

"_Why??_" Aeris was incredulous, "Are you really that oblivious?? One- the massive use of mako creates a huge imbalance that has increased in recent years. Two- mako should NOT be used as a steroid on humans- that's really dangerous! Three- Shinra mows down anyone that gets in their way!"

"Yeah, well if it wasn't for Shinra," Zack snapped, "My father would be _dead_ right now! Look around you! This isn't exactly the land of milk and honey! We're all poor people, and when my dad got sick last year, it was my paycheck that paid for the operation that saved his life!"

"For every happy ending like yours," Aeris countered, "There's five more like me. My childhood was ruined because of Professor Hojo!"

"He's been dead for ten years," Zack told her, "You'd allow a reactor to get blown up for some ancient history?"

"You just don't get it!!" Aeris shouted angrily, "I still have to deal with the after-effects! What Hojo did was done with the blessing of President Shinra himself!"

Zack turned away from Aeris. Then after a few seconds, he spoke:

"I'm sorry you had to deal with whatever was done to you. But you don't get it either…all my parents wanted…all _I_ wanted…was for me to get out of Gongaga and seek my fortune somewhere else. But how was I supposed to do that? You think places in Midgar or even Cosmo Canyon will hire some country bumpkin from a backwater country? There's no way to pay for college. SOLDIER put me through school at no expense. When I get my degree next year, I'll be able to get a job anywhere I want!"

"So you only joined to further your future…" Aeris looked thoughtful, "How ironic…"

"Look…" Zack sighed, "I don't wanna fight you. And…I'm not gonna turn you or your friend in either. Don't ask me why- I don't know myself, but I'm not saying anything,"

"…Thanks," said Aeris.

"I should go," Zack backed away, "I guess I'll see ya around,"

"Yeah," Aeris said quietly, "See ya…"


	9. Ch 9: Brotherly Love

Chapter 9: Brotherly Love

Aeris sat restlessly as she listened to the rain pelting down against the tent. It had been raining like that for the past two hours. The fire nearby was dead, and it was growing dark. The only light she had came from her lantern as she tried to read one of her books.

Amazingly enough, her chocobo didn't seem to mind the nasty weather one bit. The giant bird lay under a tree sleeping peacefully. Aeris felt comforted that the bird was safe. Monsters always stayed away from her when she was alone. It was only when she was in the company of other people that they'd attack. Still, people always regarded her as a quasi-suicidal daredevil for venturing out in the wild alone.

_A small price to pay for keeping my abilities a secret._

The incessant warking from her chocobo broke her away from her reading. Wondering what would wake that bird up, Aeris grabbed her sword and opened the tent.

"What's your problem?? Hey- stop it! I said _stop _it, you stupid bird!!! G'ah!!! I hate chocobos! I hate 'em!! Yeah, I'm talking to you- OW!"

Aeris' eyes widened in shock as she saw her chocobo relentlessly pecking away at Zack. In the distance, a motorcycle stood parked behind him.

"Hey- hey now!" Aeris went over to the chocobo and pulled the reins, gently guiding it away from the young soldier.

"That thing was about to kill me!!" Zack exclaimed as Aeris stroked the soaked bird's neck, calming it down.

"Kweh!" the bird exclaimed.

"What do you expect?" Aeris smirked, "The bird works for terrorists,"

"Oh, so funny!" Zack sneered.

"What are you doing here?" Aeris crossed her arms, "Did you change your mind and decide to dispatch me in my sleep? Sorry to disappoint you, but this sword isn't just for decoration,"

"I had no idea it was you in that tent," Zack glared at her, "I stopped because this place is always teeming with monsters. You'd have to be insane to be out here alone!"

_Here we go again…_Aeris sighed.

"I was just passing through on my way to Cosmo Canyon," Zack told her, "But maybe I should stick around tonight,"

"_What??_" Aeris recoiled, "How stupid do you think I am??? Even if you weren't technically my enemy…what the hell do you think I am letting some guy share my tent?!?"

Her eyes then widened, and she raised her sheathed sword, bonking the dark-haired man squarely on the head.

"OW!!! What was that for?!?!" he shouted, rubbing his head.

"For making me curse!" Aeris shouted back.

"God- are all you terrorists as crazy as you are?" Zack yelled as he pointed at the large backpack on his shoulders, "I didn't say anything about sharing your tent! I have my own!!"

Aeris continued to glare at him.

"Though…I guess I could've worded myself a little better…" Zack conceded as he scratched his head.

"This isn't a good idea," Aeris sighed, "I get where you're coming from, but we're enemies- that's the simple truth. How could we possibly trust each other?"

"Because I could have had you in Shinra's custody yesterday after I ran into you," Zack told her, "Instead, I went home,"

"Not a very loyal SOLDIER are you?" Aeris gave him a curious glance.

"Look- if you're as skilled with that sword as you say you are, then we can protect each other tonight. Strength in numbers, right? Honestly, I'm tired of riding around in the dark and rain,"

Aeris didn't look convinced.

"Hey- I'm not one to pick a fight," Zack held up his hands in surrender, "Did you see me letting that scrawny Turk have it? Did you see me attacking your friend?"

Aeris walked past the soaked youth until she stood about fifteen feet away from him.

"This is where you'll set up your tent," she said firmly.

"Fine,"

He went over to his motorcycle and set down his large backpack. Opening it, he dug out a cover and slid it over the large bike. He then went over to Aeris and dropped the backpack. Kneeling down on the wet ground, he opened the pack and began pulling the parts of his tent out. To his surprise, Aeris began to help him.

"Shouldn't you get back to your tent?" Zack asked her, "You're soaked,"

"No more than you are," Aeris shrugged, "Anyway, the sooner you're all settled in, the sooner I can change into some dry clothes and get some sleep,"

Zack chuckled. "I guess I won't argue with that,"

The two worked together in the rain for ten minutes, setting up Zack's tent. When they finished, they both stood up.

"Oh no…" Aeris moaned as she tried in vain to brush the mud off her hands and knees.

"The mighty swordswoman and wilderness girl extraordinaire isn't afraid of monsters, but can't stand a little dirt, eh?" Zack looked amused.

Aeris was about to dish out a sharp retort, when the two heard the chocobo warking frantically. Turning around, they could see a large, horned reptilian monster approaching. Its hands and feet were adorned with large claws, and its green face was grinning stupidly at the panicked bird.

"Shit!" Zack exclaimed, "Stand back! That's a Grand Horn!"

"I know what it is!" Aeris snapped as she unsheathed her sword and charged at the creature.

"Careful!" Zack shouted as he ran to catch up with her.

Aeris raised her sword and sliced through the chocobo's tether, allowing it to run to a safer location. She then held the sword out, allowing it to float in the air.

"FIRE!!!" she shouted.

The Grand Horn was immediately enveloped in flames. Writhing around in agony, it emitted a series of ear-piercing shrieks.

"Nice!" Zack commented as he gripped his sword tightly. Taking advantage of the monster's pain, he charged forward and slashed at its left arm.

The creature stumbled a bit, and then setting its sights on Aeris, charged forward. It swung at the girl, who quickly dropped to the ground and rolled away.

Leaping to her feet right behind the monster, Aeris slashed at its back and then quickly backed away.

Zack stared in amazement. This girl had skills to match his own comrades! Where on earth did she learn to fight like that?

"WATCH OUT!!!"

His thoughts were interrupted as the Grand Horn raised its right arm and slammed it into the distracted soldier. Zack traveled in the air about ten feet before landing roughly on the ground.

While Aeris hacked away at the monster, Zack raised his large sword and gathered all of his strength before he shouted one word:

"ICE!!!!"

The Grand Horn was immediately encased in a block of ice. After a few seconds, the block shattered. Aeris managed to get out of the way at the last minute, avoiding the flying shards. The monster then toppled to the ground, where it slowly faded away.

Aeris rushed over to Zack and knelt down beside him. "Are you all right?" she asked worriedly.

"I'll be fine…" the soldier winced.

"Hang on…" Aeris closed her eyes and concentrated.

A warm feeling filled Zack's body. When it passed, the pain was gone.

"What kind of materia was that?" Zack scowled, "That didn't feel like it came from a restore materia,"

"Where else would it have come from?" Aeris covered as she helped him to his feet.

Zack waved his hand dismissively, "Yeah, you're right,"

Aeris went over to the chocobo and petted it gently. "It's okay now," she consoled the frightened bird, "No more monsters to scare you. Yeah, that's a good bird. Just relax and try to sleep. I won't tie you to the tree this time- I know you won't leave. Yeah, that's a good birdie…"

"Hey- the rain's finally stopped!" Zack noticed.

"Oh yeah," Aeris observed as she looked around. She then looked back at him. "So you're okay then?"

"I'm fine," Zack managed a smile, "Thanks. You're pretty amazing, y'know,"

"I learned from an amazing swordsman," Aeris shrugged, "And I've kept at it for ten years now,"

"Ten years?" Zack whistled, "Wow. I've only been training for six years myself. Yeah, your teacher must really be something if his student is that good,"

"He is," Aeris agreed, "His reflexes are amazing- he started training when he was five, and hasn't stopped for twenty years,"

"Wait- so does that mean he started training you when he was fifteen?" Zack interrupted.

"Yeah," Aeris nodded, "He'd been a junior instructor at a dojo before he ended up teaching me. He was a child prodigy. Not just in swordsmanship, but in general. He could rule the world if he wanted to,"

"Hmm…" Zack smirked.

"What?"

"Sounds like someone's hot for teacher," Zack teased.

"What?!" Aeris exclaimed, "Whoa- one thing I forgot to mention is that he's my _brother!_"

"Oh," Zack looked embarrassed.

"Yeah," said Aeris, "Maybe I should head back to my tent. I might have said too much already,"

"He's a terrorist too?"

Aeris' expression hardened. "I let my guard down. I think we should just stop talking and I'll head over to my tent. If you really need to stay here, I suggest you do the same,"

Zack sighed. "Guess I should have expected that,"

"You're a SOLDIER. I don't trust you," Aeris stated flatly.

"Yeah, I gathered that," Zack coughed, "Fine. I'll go to my tent, all right? I'm not going to try anything,"

"I'm a light sleeper," the swordswoman pointed her weapon at him.

"Yeah, sweet dreams to you too," Zack grumbled as he climbed into his tent.

* * *

The sun was shining when he opened his tent. The grass had dried up, and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. His motorcycle stood in the same spot he'd left it, the cover still glistening slightly.

He stepped outside of the tent and noticed that Aeris' tent was gone, as well as Aeris herself, and her chocobo.

_Man…who _is_ that girl?_ Zack wondered. _Paranoid as hell, but I guess I can understand that. Still…she's got spunk._

He began disassembling his tent, and found himself smiling.

_I wonder if I'll ever see her again…?_

* * *

"Welcome home, Aeris," Elmyra smiled, "I trust you had a safe trip?"

"Nothing I can't handle," Aeris smirked, "One monster, and some rain on the way back- that's all,"

Just then, Jessie walked into the living room. "Mrs. G- I just fixed the problem with your modem- oh, hey, Aeris!"

"Hey," Aeris greeted her friend.

"I guess I'll check my emails then," Elmyra excused herself, leaving the two girls alone.

"How was the mission?" Jessie asked.

Aeris sighed. "Jessie, why didn't you tell me you knew Zack was a member of SOLDIER?"

Jessie stared for a moment, and then sat down on the couch. "How'd you find out?"

"I ran into him in Gongaga," said Aeris, "Thought he was gonna try and fight me right then and there, but for some reason, he doesn't wanna turn us in,"

"I can't figure that out either," Jessie shook her head, "Geez, I'm sorry. I had no idea you two would cross paths,"

"I'm not blaming you for anything," Aeris stated, "Not at all. It's just…someone in Shinra knows who you and I are,"

"It sucks…" Jessie agreed, "Man…and he was such a dish…"

"I thought you liked his friend," Aeris teased.

"I already said he's too young," Jessie glared, "Besides- what do you need to drool over Zack for? You've got Sephiroth,"

"What?!" Aeris exclaimed, "Jessie, no! He's my brother!"

"Not biologically," Jessie grinned, "Besides- didn't you tell me your parents never legally adopted him?"

"He's nearly ten years older than me!" Aeris argued.

"You'll be of age in a year," Jessie shrugged.

"I…!"

"You've spent all those years with that hunk and never had any 'naughty' thoughts?"

"You're sick!" Aeris stormed off.

"Oh come on, Aeris- I was just teasing ya! Learn to take a joke! Aeris…!"

* * *

_Stupid Jessie…what the heck does she know?_

Aeris fumed angrily as she strode down the road leading to the old church.

_She's right though…_

Aeris banished that last thought from her head. He was her brother! Maybe not biologically, but still! Besides, what would he want with a kid like her? He would want a mature woman closer to his age- not some little sister type!

"Ah, you're finally back,"

Aeris turned around to see Sephiroth standing outside the door of the church.

"Oh, hey, big brother!" Aeris fumbled, trying not to let Sephiroth see the red creeping up on her face.

He didn't seem to notice. "I have something to show you. Come inside,"

_Snap out of it, Aeris! Jessie's just messing with your head! Nothing's changed!_

"Aeris?"

"Coming!" Aeris followed him inside the church.

The building was a mess. The pews were in complete disarray, and the whole place reeked of body odor, cigarettes, and alcohol. Parts of the wooden floor were gone, most likely having been torn out and used for firewood.

Sephiroth stood near the altar. Behind him was an especially large patch of dirt.

"What did you want to show me?" Aeris as she walked up to him.

Sephiroth gestured behind him. "You said you needed to find a good place to plant your flowers. Plenty of dirt here. And it's not like this is private property you'd be trespassing on,"

"I can't use this place as my own private garden," Aeris shook her head, "This is where all the beggars stay- it's their home,"

"None of them deserve this place," Sephiroth said flatly.

"How can you say that!" Aeris exclaimed, "These people have fallen on hard times, all because of Shinra, and-!"

"I spent most of yesterday conversing with those men," Sephiroth interrupted, "None of them are in their situation due to 'hard times', even though in the end, they blame Shinra. I know it's easy to blame them for every bad thing that happens in life, but you can't let your hatred of that company cloud your judgment,"

"So why were they homeless?" Aeris sat down next to Sephiroth.

"One of the men stated that he never liked 'the system'. Meaning, having to work forty hours a week for 'the man'. Well, Shinra did not create 'the system'- that man is just lazy. Another man, from what I put together from his life story, is a certified sex fiend who was fired from every job because of some kind of affair or sexual harassment. Another- and this was the most amusing of all of them- decided years ago that the material world was not worth seeking a place in, and decided that a more spiritual quest was the noble idea. Of course, he seeks to achieve this ideal by filling his body up with more drugs than a pharmacy. Even as he spoke to me, he was having one of his 'visions',"

Aeris stared blankly at him. "And you want me to plant flowers where these nut-jobs live?"

Sephiroth smirked. "They don't live here anymore. I came, I brought them food, I talked to them…and once I realized they were no good, told them if they ever came back here again, I'd give them a few _real_ reasons to complain about their lives,"

"You're so cold sometimes," Aeris shook her head.

"And you're too forgiving sometimes," Sephiroth told her, "Let this church be used for something _good_. That will never happen if people like them live here. You have a gift- they don't. Plant your seeds. Sell your flowers. Buy your dress. And make Midgar come alive,"

"You're the best," Aeris smiled, "What would I do without you?"

"Go plant those seeds," Sephiroth returned the smile, "You know you want to,"

"I'll be right back!" Aeris said excitedly as she ran out of the church.

Sephiroth stretched luxuriously and lay down on the pew as he waited for the girl to return.

_The time is coming soon…my son…_

Sephiroth jerked into a sitting position. "Who's there?" he demanded loudly.

No answer.

* * *

"Are you sure?" Elmyra asked as she sent out her last email.

"The time is right," Vincent nodded, "We have a lot of strong and intelligent members in our ranks now. And…I think Aeris should be a part of this mission,"

"But she's so young!" Elmyra protested.

"Her powers will come in handy," Vincent told her, "She's better than any mastered restore materia,"

"I still can't believe it," Elmyra sighed, "And I thought she was being targeted for being close to Professor Gast and Sephiroth. To think that she and her mother were also potential specimens?"

"She's a special girl," Vincent nodded, "Plants aren't supposed to grow in Midgar, yet you have tulips peaking out of the soil next to your house,"

"Who else knows?"

"No one," Vincent shook his head, "Aside from you, myself, and Sephiroth, nobody knows. Aeris knows the dangers of revealing her secret, yet she's been known to be a bit reckless with it,"

"Why share it with me after all these years, then?" Elmyra asked.

Vincent paused momentarily. "…Because I realized I can always trust you," he said finally.

"Vincent…"

"We should take Sephiroth with us as well," the gunslinger continued hastily, "Jessie would be useful in helping us make the phone calls we need, along with any technological issues we might have. Barrett's brute strength and his marksmanship, not to mention Dyne's as well-"

"Don't take Dyne," Elmyra broke in.

"Why not?"

"I just found out today," Elmyra explained, "Eleanor is pregnant. This is going to be a dangerous mission. She doesn't need that kind of stress. Please, Vincent…"

"Very well," he relented, "Biggs can go in his place,"

"So it's really happening," Elmyra sighed.

Vincent nodded. "Vice President Rufus Shinra will be traveling to Nibelheim next week. So will we. Once we get the chance, we abduct him,"


	10. Ch 10: Unease

Chapter 10: Unease

Jessie stirred restlessly as Wedge drove the minibus across the rugged terrain. Next to her, Aeris, Vincent, Barrett, Biggs and Sephiroth slept soundly.

They had been driving for the past eight hours. Soon, they would be reaching Junon where Wedge would be dropping them off and driving back to Midgar. Then they would board the ship to Costa Del Sol, where their contacts in the vacation resort would provide them with additional transportation to Nibelheim.

_How can they sleep knowing what we're about to do? The last time we made any move on a member of the Shinra family…_Jessie closed her eyes and winced at the memory. Two of her friends had died that day. How many more would die before the Shinra company went under?

"We're getting close," Wedge said loudly.

Aeris stirred and rubbed one of her eyes. "Wha…?" she mumbled.

"We're almost there," Jessie told her, "Guys, wake up!"

Barrett muttered an obscenity as he and the others slowly woke up.

"Get ready," Wedge announced, "I'll be dropping you off right outside of town,"

The group made sure they had all their belongings before Wedge pulled over.

"Good luck," he told them before everyone exited the vehicle.

* * *

"There's gotta be something to do while we're on this boat," Aeris muttered as she paced about her cabin restlessly.

"Must you do that?" Jessie grumbled as she lay on her bed.

"Do what?" Aeris glanced at her companion.

"Nevermind," the older girl sighed.

"You seem preoccupied," Aeris observed.

"Risking your life for a worthy cause does that to you," Jessie commented absently.

Aeris grinned. "What risk? We've got one heck of a team on this mission! Brains, brawn, and skill- nothing can stop us!"

Jessie chuckled sadly. "Ah, Aeris. You're so idealistic. It's one of the things I like about you. But you haven't seen the consequences of messing up on a mission. I have,"

"Are you talking about what happened to those two people-?"

"Yes," Jessie broke in, "You weren't there when it happened. Those two were good friends of mine. Only to be snuffed out by Turks, of course,"

"Is that why you hate the Turks so much?"

Jessie looked up at the ceiling. "That's part of it,"

Sensing that Jessie didn't want to speak anymore about the Turks, Aeris decided to change the subject:

"Hey, how'd you get to be so computer-savvy?"

"My father worked in distributing computer software," Jessie explained, "There was always free stuff around the house. My brother and sister were never really interested, but I always found them to be fascinating. I remember the first program my dad gave me. One of those kiddie programs that teaches you to type. I took it very seriously. It's actually how I learned to read,"

"Wow," Aeris was impressed.

"Since then, I've always been a computer junkie," said Jessie, "Got my part-time first job when I was fourteen at a computer store. Then three years ago, I joined Avalanche,"

"How'd you end up joining?"

"Through Biggs," Jessie answered, "Gave me a stellar recommendation and everything…what- now you're jogging in place?"

"Heh, sorry. I'll get outta here," Aeris grinned sheepishly as she left the room.

* * *

Sephiroth sat in the shade watching everyone coming and going around him. He had just finished having lunch with Biggs and Barrett. While the other two men had decided to go into the gaming room, he'd been content to wander off by himself as he always did.

"Is this seat taken?" a female voice asked.

Sephiroth looked up to see a woman in her thirties standing over the seat nearby, looking expectantly at him.

"No, not at all," Sephiroth shook his head, "Go right ahead,"

"Thank you," she sat down, "So many people love the sun. And it does a lot of good, of course, but I prefer to avoid it all the same,"

"I understand that," Sephiroth nodded politely.

"Not so much that I have sensitive skin or anything," the woman continued, "But honestly, after a while, I get a bit of a headache,"

"Interesting," Sephiroth commented. That was something that had always happened to him after a couple of hours in the sun.

"Of course, it goes away the minute I'm out of the sun. But it's strange…it doesn't seem to happen to very many people. In fact, it's only where I come from that such a thing happens,"

"I've never heard of other people having that same condition before," Sephiroth confessed.

"I'm sure you've never heard of people who could soar through the air just by thinking about it either," the woman eyed Sephiroth, "Nor people who can heal from wounds quickly,"

Sephiroth found himself growing very uneasy at the woman's words. How could she know about him like that? Had he been too careless the last three years? Did Shinra now have a way to trap him into being their prized specimen again?

"No, they haven't found a way," the woman told him.

Sephiroth's mouth dropped open in shock. Had she read his mind? Was she…?

"Were you the person who spoke to me in the church the other day?" Sephiroth glared at her.

_So he _has_ communicated with her. This could be bad…_

"No," the woman answered, "This is the first time I've ever spoken to you,"

"Why are you here?" Sephiroth asked warily.

"Many reasons. Mostly to check on your well-being,"

"Who sent you?"

"I cannot answer at this time. You need to keep your mind on your mission. I know it's possibly the most important one you and your comrades have undertaken thus far,"

Sephiroth stood up, knocking his chair over in the process.

"Get out of my head, woman!!" he snarled at her.

"_You _are the one who can't control your thoughts," the woman regarded Sephiroth coldly, "You haven't learned to filter your thoughts, so it's open season on your mind,"

Sephiroth continued to stare uneasily at her.

"There is a lot you don't seem to know about yourself. Even Professor Gast and Professor Hojo only had a basic grasp on your true potential,"

"And you know everything?"

"More than they did," she replied as she stood up.

"Where are you going?"

"Our conversation is done for today," the woman explained, "This is not going to be easy. I can't have you losing your patience like you did by just finding out I know who you are. An even temper is crucial to finding out the truth. An emotion such as anger will cloud your judgment and allow deception to creep in,"

"How can I _not_ get aggravated when you're behaving like some mystic from an obscure cult?" Sephiroth snapped.

"I understand how you feel," said the woman, "But for now, just be happy with the fact that you're _not_ an outsider like you think. Alienation is a dangerous thing. Goodbye for now, and good luck on your mission,"

She walked away.

"Wait!" Sephiroth chased after her, only to soon realize that the woman had indeed vanished. There were no doors alongside the long wall, and no one else around save for a lone sailor mopping the deck. Had the woman jumped off? Flown? No, not with a witness present.

_Is she really…my kin? Was Jenova followed? But that was over two-thousand years ago! How long do her people live? How long will _I_ live?_

She hadn't wanted him to be agitated, but how could she pile on such cryptic hints and expect him to accept it without question?

Still, one thing she'd said was true: he _did_ need to stay focused on the mission. Vincent may have been the one to organize everything, but it was Sephiroth's leadership skills and fighting ability that held everything together.

_I suppose I'll go meditate now…_

With a sigh, Sephiroth retired to his cabin.

* * *

Two days had passed since the members of Avalanche had boarded the ship bound for Costa Del Sol. Now, the party stood at their destination.

Upon docking, the party had split up, each member leaving the resort city on their own, before meeting at the designated pickup spot an hour later.

"How much longer do we have to wait?" Barrett complained, "They said they'd land around three 'o clock. It's three-thirty, dammit!"

"He did say _around_ three," Vincent reminded him, "And this man doesn't exactly strike me as the kind to get hung up on an exact statement,"

"Then why the hell did you hire him for this job?" Barrett demanded.

"I'm told he is the best in his field," Vincent replied calmly, "And from talking to this person, I can tell that he is a man who doesn't let fear hold him back,"

Just then, a faint roar could be heard from the distance.

"Hey, look!" Aeris exclaimed as she pointed ahead.

A small plane could be seen on the horizon. However, the group could see the plane getting bigger and bigger, until they realized it was bearing down towards them at an incredible speed.

"GET OUTTA THE WAY!!!" Jessie screamed as she and the others scattered.

Aeris ran as fast as she could before she dove to the ground. A strong wind blew her way, and she ducked her head to avoid being hit in the face with any flying debris. After a few moments, she noticed the roar of the plane's engine had stopped. Looking up, she could see a small passenger plane standing a few feet away from her.

The door opened, and the pilot emerged. He removed his goggles, revealing a head of ash-blond hair. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a pack of cigarettes and pulled one out.

"WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?!" Barrett yelled as he marched up to the pilot, "That was TOO damn close!! See that girl??" he pointed at Aeris, who was trying desperately to smooth her windblown hair back into place, "A few more feet, and ya coulda killed her!"

"I'm fine," Aeris insisted.

"That's why I stopped here, and not over there," the pilot mumbled as he lit his cigarette.

The others slowly got to their feet and gathered around the plane.

"Cid Highwind, I presume?" Vincent looked at the pilot.

"Yep," Cid took the cigarette out of his mouth and exhaled, extending his hand to Vincent, "Nice to finally meet you, Valentine,"

"Likewise," Vincent answered, "But were such theatrics really necessary?"

"Was the perfect landing spot," Cid shrugged as he took another drag off his cigarette, "You're not deaf. You knew to get outta the way. You can't do that, how the hell you gonna stop a multi-million-dollar corporation from messing with people's lives?"

"That's a rather simple way of viewing things," Sephiroth commented.

"Yeah, whatever," Cid shrugged as he opened a second door, "Get your asses inside and you can introduce the rest of yourselves after we take off,"

"Ass-hole…" Barrett muttered as he climbed inside.

* * *

"Valentine…" Cid sighed as he and the gunslinger sat in the cockpit, "You've got major guts," "Mmm?"

"I mean, kidnapping 'Prince Rufus' and not even demanding a ransom? What the hell do you want to get out of this?"

"Inside information, and of course, absolute panic from within the company," Vincent told Cid, "A ransom would not make sense. There is no way it could be pulled off without them finding us out. We won't kill Rufus Shinra, but there are plenty of ways to assure that he won't be returning to work as vice president anytime soon,"

"What's he doing in Nibelheim anyway?" Cid asked.

"President Shinra probably wants his son to know everything about the mako reactors they have around the world," Vincent replied, "He had several trips scheduled to see every reactor. Nibelheim is to be the last one before he returns to Midgar,"

"So this is the only chance," Cid concluded, "Gotcha. Right- we'll be landing twenty miles from Nibelheim. Hope you guys like camping. Especially with those damn Nibel wolves,"

"It's better than having us dropped off nearby and arousing suspicion," Vincent pointed out.

"Still…" Cid frowned, "If anything goes wrong, just call me. I'll do what I can to bail you out,"

"Are you sure about that?" Vincent raised an eyebrow, "The people here all decided they have nothing else to live for except the demolishing of Shinra. If you come and help under those circumstances, you'll be exposing yourself, and you'll likely spend the rest of your life on the run. And it will be a short one, likely,"

"That girl in the pink shirt," said Cid, "How old is she?"

"Seventeen,"

"And she's as suicidal as the rest of ya?"

"She has nothing else. Shinra took it all away,"

"Damn…she's just a kid,"

"Still want to bail us out if something goes wrong?"

"…Sure. Why the hell not?"

"…Very well then,"

* * *

_My son…please…come back to me…_

Sephiroth awoke with a start. It was still dark out. Everyone around him was still asleep around the campfire, save for Vincent, who was keeping watch.

_That voice again…who the hell is that?_

He unzipped his sleeping bag and kicked back the cover. It would be a while before he would get anymore sleep.

"Can't sleep?"

Sephiroth looked up to see Vincent facing him. He sighed, and then got up and walked over to his father.

"…Did my mother have an…attractive voice?" he asked suddenly.

Vincent looked taken aback. The boy had occasionally asked about Lucrecia over the years, but never anything that specific.

"Your mother had a beautiful voice," Vincent answered, "And that's not just my being partial,"

"Do you think that people in the lifestream can contact someone living?"

"I don't believe in superstitions like that,"

"Aeris can hear the deceased speaking to her,"

"Deceased _Cetra_. Aeris has never heard the voice of a human from the lifestream. Why are you asking me this?"

"…I've heard the voice of a woman a couple of times. She calls me her son…begging me to come back to her. It's a beautiful voice…but…there's something…wrong, the way she sounds,"

"Did it sound at all familiar to you?"

"No. That's why I asked you,"

"Aeris' voice is similar to your mother's. I've noticed that since she's been with us,"

"It must just be the stress," Sephiroth lied.

Vincent nodded. "Get some sleep. We should reach Nibelheim tomorrow morning,"

"You know that sleep isn't as necessary for me. Let me stand guard,"

Vincent hesitated, and then shrugged. "Do what you need to do,"

Sephiroth watched his father retire to his sleeping bag. He had almost been tempted to tell the man about the strange woman he'd met on the ship, but had thought better of it.

_Don't need anyone thinking that I'm crazy…_

* * *

The city of Nibelheim was already bustling at eight 'o clock in the morning, despite the rain that was coming down. People were hurrying to work, mostly young men and woman rushing off to the mines. The few children who weren't sleeping in during their summer break, were sprawled lazily in the shelter of their front porches.

"Quaint place," Jessie commented.

"I love it!" Aeris exclaimed, "It reminds me of Corel!"

"Let's check in," Jessie pointed to the nearby inn, "The sooner we do that, the sooner we can relax. Rufus isn't coming until tomorrow,"

"Relax?" Aeris followed Jessie into the building, "I wanna explore!"

"It's a city," Jessie said flatly, "There's buildings and people. Not much to explore,"

"Welcome to Hotel Nibel!" a girl exclaimed brightly, "Tourists?"

Jessie and Aeris looked at the girl. She looked a little younger than Aeris, sporting a fringed leather vest, and a matching skirt. A cowboy hat covered her dark hair, which she kept tied back in a very loose pony-tail.

"Visiting friends," Jessie lied.

"Just so you know," the girl continued, "I give tours of Mount Nibel if you're interested,"

"No thanks," Jessie started to say.

"I'd love to!" Aeris grinned.

"Super!" the girl clapped her hands together, "First tour is at noon, and the next one is at four!"

"Swell," Jessie muttered as she handed her gil over to the man behind the counter, "One room, please,"

"Just come back to the lobby at either of those times, and you'll find me with the group," the girl told Aeris, "My name's Tifa. I do a few other odd jobs at this place, so if you need me, just ask around,"

"Will do," Aeris nodded, "Thanks so much!"

"Hey, you coming?" Jessie called from the top of the stairwell.

"Yeah, I'll be right up!" Aeris hurried up the stairs.

"You shouldn't be too friendly with people like that," Jessie said to her friend in a low voice, "We've already got one Shinra flunky who knows who we are,"

"I wonder if Sephiroth wants to come on the tour. Are you sure you don't wanna come?"

"Would you listen to me??" Jessie hissed as she opened the door and the two stepped inside the room, "Your carefree attitude is gonna get us all killed!"

"You're edgy today," Aeris frowned, "Actually, you've been edgy for days now,"

Jessie sighed. "Yeah…I…I know. I'm sorry. Look, I don't mean to pick on you, it's just…"

"Alright, I'll be more careful," Aeris conceded, "But I seriously don't think that girl Tifa's an undercover Shinra spy or anything,"

"I guess…"

"You're still worried?" Aeris peered at Jessie, "You think that something's gonna happen to one of us?"

"Let's not talk about that," Jessie shook her head.

"You're right," Aeris acknowledged, "That's why you should do something to take your mind off things. Like coming with me on that tour!"

"In the rain??"

"Forecast said it would let up in the afternoon,"

"You're not gonna stop bugging me until I say yes, are you?"

"Well, it works with Sephiroth most of the time,"

"You're such a pest," Jessie joked.

Aeris grinned. "Let's go get some breakfast,"


	11. Ch 11: Sors Imanis

Chapter 11: Sors Imanis

"You're never gonna get into SOLDIER if you keep getting sick on a lousy truck,"

Cloud groaned loudly as he rolled away from Zack.

"You should know better than to read while on a moving vehicle," the raven-haired soldier held up Cloud's comic book, "Though this _is_ a pretty good issue. But then, what do I know? I've never had motion sickness,"

"How long until we get there?" a trooper asked.

"With this crappy weather, probably a couple more hours," Zack told him, "Then we have to wait for the vice president to show up. Apparently, he wants to oversee the inspection of the reactor himself,"

"How the hell are we gonna get anything done when we have 'Prince Rufus' and his Turks in the way?" the trooper complained.

Zack shook his head. "You're looking at this the wrong way. The _vice president_ is overseeing this inspection himself! We do a good job, he'll tell the right people. Maybe a recommendation from him is what you need, eh, Cloud?"

"Ugh…" Cloud moaned.

"God, just puke already!" the trooper exclaimed as he rolled his eyes, "We've still got two hours to go. You're just gonna lose your lunch anyway,"

"Shut up, Curt," said Zack. He then turned to the MP driving the truck. "Hey, driver! Doesn't this thing have a radio? Crank it up!"

"Yessir," the MP replied as he turned on the radio.

* * *

"Oh, come on- it couldn't have been that bad!" Aeris scoffed as she and Jessie sat down on their respective beds, "At least it stopped raining before we went out there!"

The computer guru pulled off her shoes and socks, revealing several blisters on her feet.

"I hate you," Jessie declared as she glared at Aeris.

"That's what you get from sitting in front of a computer screen all day," Aeris shrugged indifferently. "Oh well. At least Biggs and Sephiroth had fun,"

The four of them had hiked through the Nibel Mountains for two hours straight, along with Tifa and a couple other tourists.

"At least you didn't complain until now," Aeris giggled.

"And make myself look weaker than some fifteen-year-old tour guide?" Jessie pulled out a potion, "That girl was practically dancing in circles around us!"

"I like her," said Aeris.

"You like everybody," Jessie took out a pocketknife and opened it up.

"What are you doing?" Aeris asked.

"What's it look like?" Jessie held the point up to her foot, "I'm gonna drain the blisters before I apply the potion. Can't be in anything but perfect condition tomorrow, right?"

"Oh, gross!" Aeris cringed as she opened the door and left.

_The great swordswoman camps out in monster-infested areas, hikes through Mt. Nibel, and yet she's afraid of a little pus_…Jessie thought as she chuckled silently. _I sure have crazy friends…_

The door then opened again and Aeris rushed inside, looking panicked.

"That was quick!" Jessie teased, "Ready for the first one…? Eww…gonna poke the nasty blister…!"

"Zack is outside!!" Aeris whispered frantically.

Jessie let the knife drop to the floor. "What?"

"He _and_ Cloud are checking into rooms!" Aeris squeaked, "Cloud's a Shinra trooper!! Now _two _people would know who we are!!"

"No…no…this isn't happening!" Jessie moaned, "Great- they must be the ones guarding Rufus! Fine! We have no choice- we're gonna have to tell Vincent and the others!"

"We should've told them in the first place," Aeris admitted as she pulled out her PHS, "He's not gonna like this…"

* * *

"Tseng, is there any reason in particular you had to bring him along?" Rufus Shinra asked as he sat in his personal helicopter.

"Strength in numbers," the raven-haired Turk replied, "Besides, despite his age and immaturity, he's also one of the best rookies I've seen so far,"

"Hmph," Rufus frowned at the redheaded Turk sitting behind him.

Reno shrugged indifferently and began to examine his taser-like nightstick.

"The sun's rising," Tseng observed as he looked out the window.

"Finally…" Rufus sighed, "One more rotten reactor to look at, and then it's back home,"

"Forgive me if I'm out of line," Tseng offered calmly, "But isn't it important to get to know the reactors and such if you're to take over as president of the company?"

"Ah, I don't care what you say," Rufus shook his head, "You're a hell of a lot smarter than most of the people in this company. I tell ya- first thing I'm gonna do when I'm in charge is fire those idiots Palmer and Heidegger,"

"Heidegger may be annoying, but he _is_ an asset to the company," Tseng pointed out.

"Fine then," Rufus sulked, "Instead, every time he does that idiotic laugh, I'm taking it out of his paycheck until he has nothing left to laugh about,"

"What about Scarlet?"

"Her too,"

"What exactly is it you dislike about the reactors?" Tseng asked, "Afraid another one will get bombed?"

"No," Rufus smoothed back his strawberry-blond hair, "It's the people who bend over backward in hopes of gaining my favor or something. I don't know what's wrong with them. Can't they…I don't know…do their own work? That's the whole irony of it all- people think I got this job handed to me on a silver platter, and I didn't! In my father's eyes, I was no different than any other potential candidate, but I earned this position. And yet, they try and curry favor like they think I did!"

Tseng said nothing, allowing the young man to rant.

"They don't use their brains! I can see it when I look at them. That same vacant look in their eyes. Like they don't know what the hell's going on, nor do they care! It makes me sick to look at them!"

"So stop looking at them, then," Tseng quipped dryly.

"That's not a bad idea," Rufus grumbled, "Why should I even acknowledge them in the first place? People are motivated by two things: greed, and fear. They're like puppets!"

Tseng looked slightly uneasy.

"That was a joke, sir," he said, "Please don't take it to heart,"

"Hey, sir- look at me- do my eyes look empty and stupid? I wanna know,"

Rufus turned around to see Reno staring at him, his eyes wide open.

"Tell me…" Rufus looked at the young Turk, "Why did you join the Turks?"

"Better to get paid for brawling than to do it for kicks in my old gang," Reno grinned, "I can kick ass, so why not make money off it 'stead of staying in the slums and whining about shit? And I'll have you know that I _don't _need your approval to live the good life!"

"You knew you were talented and decided to use it for your benefit," Rufus concluded, "You're not quite brain-dead yet,"

"Good to know," Reno sat back down in his seat.

"We're almost at Nibelheim, sir!" the pilot announced.

"Good," said Rufus, "Let's get this over with…"

* * *

"Welcome to Nibelheim, Mr. Vice President," the mayor said as he shook the young man's hand.

Tseng, Reno, Cloud, and Zack stood behind the vice president. Reno and Zack were engaged in a rather unfriendly staring contest.

"Thank you," Rufus droned.

"I'm Tifa!" the young tour guide smiled brightly, "Nice to meet you!"

Rufus nodded politely. "You're our guide?"

"Number one guide in this town!" Tifa corrected.

Cloud shifted uncomfortably, and adjusted the helmet that covered his face.

"It's too dangerous," Zack shook his head, "We can't have her involved in something like this,"

"Hey, I may look delicate," Tifa said with a grin, "But looks can be deceiving,"

"It's true," the mayor nodded, "My daughter is a strong girl, and knows her way around the mountains like the back of her hand. You'll do just fine with her,"

Zack laughed and threw up his hands in surrender. "All right then! Just don't slow us down, kiddo,"

"Don't slow _me_ down," Tifa replied sweetly.

"Um, Mr. Vice President…?" a man with a camera hesitantly approached the group, "May I take just one picture for a memento?"

"If you must," Rufus sighed.

"Thank you so much!" the man said excitedly, "If all of you could just get into that picture…"

Tifa, Zack, Cloud, Reno, Tseng, and the trooper named Curt all huddled together around Rufus.

"…Cheeeeeeese!" the photographer called out.

Reno made a rude gesture at the last minute. The man didn't seem to notice.

"Great- thank you!" the man grinned as he backed away, "I'm gonna go get this developed right now- I'll give you each a copy when you get back!"

* * *

"What a warm and fuzzy moment…" Jessie remarked sarcastically as she watched the scene from the window of the hotel room.

Aeris didn't reply, having chose to lie on her bed and pout.

"Are you gonna sulk like that all day?" Jessie looked back at her, "You were brought here to _support_ the others. You're a lot safer here than out there. Vincent was right- it's too dangerous for you to go with them now that Zack is part of this mission,"

"Hmph!" Aeris rolled over to face the wall.

Jessie decided to ignore her friend's childish behavior. "I can't see the others anywhere. I hope they found a good hiding spot in the mountains…"

She continued to watch for a few more seconds until her PHS rang. Puzzled, she pulled it out of her pocket and opened it up. "Hello? …Oh, hello, Vincent…what…? …I see…okay, we'll get right on it,"

She hung up and turned to Aeris, who was now sitting up and eyeing her curiously. "Change of plans. Pack your stuff…"

* * *

"I see them…" Sephiroth announced.

Vincent, Barrett, and Biggs perked up.

"They're at the bottom of the mountain," he continued, "It'll be a while until they reach us,"

"So once we nab the guy, we leave toward Rocket Town, right?" Biggs asked.

"Sephiroth will take Rufus to our connections nearby," Vincent nodded, "We'll hide out at Cid's place until we have the chance to catch up with them,"

"Shouldn't be more than an hour," Sephiroth muttered absently, "Let's get this over with,"

To be honest, Sephiroth hadn't been able to shake the feeling of utter dread since he'd first arrived in the town. The hike he'd gone on the day before seemed to make things worse. Though he was able to put on an act to fool his comrades, the feeling was at it's all-time high today.

"…And we can't let them reach the reactor- Sephiroth, are you listening to me?" Vincent glanced at his son.

Sephiroth snapped back to attention. "Sorry," he mumbled, "I'm aware of what needs to be done,"

"Just leave it to me," Biggs grinned and held up a support materia, "Thank the Ancients for Sleepel…"

"Hell yeah!" Barrett raised his gun in the air, "Bring it on!"

Sephiroth continued to watch the small party making their way up the mountain.

_This is not your place…_

The swordsman's eyes widened.

_Come to me…my kin…I'm not far…come to me and learn the truth of your destiny!_

"It's the same voice…" Sephiroth whispered, "…is what the woman on the ship said true? Am I truly not alone?"

"…Seph?" Barrett scratched his head, "Yer not making any sense, kid,"

Sephiroth turned around and began to walk down the mountain, toward the reactor.

"Where are you going?" Vincent asked sharply.

Sephiroth ignored his father and raised his arms. After a moment, he shot into the air, bearing down toward the large structure below.

_What the hell has gotten into him?_ Vincent couldn't help but stare ahead of him. "I suppose we'll have to follow him now. I think he's making his way toward the reactor. Let's go,"

* * *

"Her kin…" Sephiroth spoke absently as he walked over to the stairs that led to the reactor.

Not quite aware of himself, he walked up the stairs and attempted to open the door. It was locked. Not wasting any time, he stepped back, and then charged forward delivering a strong kick, breaking it down.

He stepped inside the large, dark room. In front of him were dozens of pod-like structures, lined up all around the center of the room. At the top stood one single structure. Even in the dark, Sephiroth could read the name: Jenova.

_The creature that is part of me…_Sephiroth thought in wonder, _Mom said she was a parasite. That it was she who decimated the Cetra. She always said I was my own person…but if this creature is a parasitic being…how can I be any different?_

Curiously, he strode over to the staircase. He'd always wondered about Jenova, whom Hojo had lied and told him was his mother. Ifalna had said that Jenova might come alive once more. Had she? Was it she who was calling him? Did she believe she was his mother?

_They've kept it all from you, my son…you _are_ special…because this world is yours for the taking. I've watched you…never able to reach you until now. And now, this is your chance to exact revenge on the people who have hurt you…_

"Hojo is dead," Sephiroth answered out loud, "I don't need revenge,"

_What of the others who allowed Hojo to hurt you? The others who forced you to run? The ignorant masses who stare at you like a freak? You could take the Planet back from them…and keep it all for yourself…for me…and for the one you so desperately want…yes, I know you've lusted after the her…the woman-child…is it so wrong?_

Sephiroth closed his eyes in shame.

_Build a new world with her…a new enlightened race._

"She's too young!"

_For how long will she be? You wanted to break the spine of the boy who broke her heart three years ago. Because you knew you could do better by her. I know that you want the Cetra hybrid by your side…in your arms…in your bed…_

"SHUT UP!!!!" Sephiroth yelled, "SHUT UP!!!! IT'S YOU PUTTING THESE DISGUSTING THOUGHTS IN MY HEAD!! IT WAS YOU THE WHOLE TIME!!!!!!!!_"_

_I did no such thing…I merely watched them…my son…you've built up so much tension inside throughout the years… Anger…pain…fear…desire… Don't be afraid to release the tension…don't be afraid to fly…_

"Something tells me I don't need your help…!" Sephiroth growled.

_Don't you? You've been lied to…look around you._

Sephiroth glanced at the pods surrounding him.

_Look inside…_

He reluctantly obliged and went up to one of the pods. Standing on his toes, he looked inside.

Seeing the disfigured wretch staring back at him from inside, he recoiled instantly.

_That monster…_he realized silently, _was human!_

"Sephiroth!!"

The silver-haired swordsman slowly turned around to see Vincent and the others standing at the entrance.

"Thank the Ancients for haste spells as well!" Biggs crossed his arms and glared at Sephiroth, "We practically killed ourselves chasing after you!"

"How the hell did you fly like that?" Barrett scowled.

Vincent peered at his son, and noticed the young man was as pale as a ghost. Concerned, he sped over to him.

"What's the matter, Sephiroth?"

The swordsman looked at Vincent, and then silently pointed at the pod. His father went up to the window and peered inside. He instantly grimaced and stepped back.

"You saw it!" Sephiroth whispered shakily. His eyes were wide with fear; something that neither Biggs nor Barrett had ever seen from him before. "All of them were once human!"

"No way!" Barrett exclaimed, "Seph, what the hell is the matter with ya!"

"I've always known since I was small…" Sephiroth whispered, "…that I was different from the others. Mom and the professor said I was special…everyone told me I was special…but…like this?!"

He turned to Vincent. "…What are we…?"

"Sephiroth, get a hold of yourself!" Vincent commanded sharply, "You've already derailed this mission severely! We can still make our move if we stay put, and if you _calm down!_"

"How can I calm down?" Sephiroth laughed bitterly, "How can you be so calm?! Oh- that's right. The professor fixed you up- your eyes glow a little, but you're still pretty much all human. What about me?"

"You're my son," Vincent stated simply.

"Why didn't he tell me…?" Sephiroth stared at the pods, "Why did he have to disappear…?"

_Would you like to know the truth…?_

"Yes…" Sephiroth hung his head, "That's all I want to know…!"

"Who the hell are you talking to?" Barrett frowned.

Sephiroth slowly walked up the stairs leading to the top. A statue resembling some kind of angel stood in front of him. Impulsively, he grabbed it and ripped the metal figure from the ground. Oil splattered everywhere, but he merely threw the statue aside.

Looking up, he saw the small chamber that the limbless, blue-skinned woman was encased in. He raised his sword, and shattered the glass.

"Damn fool is ruining the mission!" Barrett growled as he and Biggs caught up to Vincent.

"I think the mission is over," Vincent stated.

"What?!" Barrett and Biggs exclaimed.

"This is much bigger than the threat of Shinra," Vincent peered into the chamber where Jenova still sat.

Suddenly, the blue-skinned woman's eyes popped open. The three men jumped back.

"Holy shit!" Barrett exclaimed.

The woman strained, and two arms instantly shot out of her shoulders. Ducking out of the headpiece bearing the name Professor Gast had given her, she kicked over the restraints holding her legs in place, and stepped out of the chamber.

"My kin…" Sephiroth murmured.

_Yes…you have finally freed me…_

Barrett pointed his machine gun at Jenova. She snapped her head in his direction and raised her hand. A bolt of electricity shot out, zapping him. Yelling in pain, he dropped the gun and stumbled back.

"Weapons like that are useless against her!" shouted a female voice.

Sephiroth snapped out of his daze as he and everyone else turned to see the woman he'd met on the ship standing at the bottom of the stairs.

"The hell are you?!" Barrett yelled at her.

The auburn-haired woman ignored him and took a few more steps forward.

_Who…are you?_

"So sad…" the stranger shook her head, "Are you so ravaged that you can no longer speak aloud anymore?"

_Silence!_ Jenova aimed a fire spell at the woman, who quickly cast a reflect spell. The flames bounced off the barrier and returned to her, singeing the alien creature in the process.

"You all had best run," the woman looked at the others, "Sephiroth and I are the only ones who can handle her in terms of skill, but Sephiroth is not immune to the sickness. You all need to leave!"

Something inside told Vincent that this woman was not playing around. He looked at his three companions, nodded, and began to descend the stairs.

_No!!!_ Jenova raised her arms, and two tentacles shot out, aimed at the party.

The woman effortlessly caught the tentacles in her hands. "_I'm_ the one you're fighting now!"

Vincent, Barrett and Biggs led a stunned Sephiroth out of the reactor…only to find themselves staring right into the barrel of Tseng's gun.

* * *

"Aeris?!" Jessie put her arm on the shoulder of the young swordswoman, who was now leaning against the buggy window, writhing in pain. "Aeris, what's wrong?!" 

"Oh god…!" Aeris sobbed loudly, "It's so loud!! It hurts!!! Make it stop!!! AHH!!! MAKE IT STOP!!!"

"What's the matter with her?" the driver asked worriedly.

One of Avalanche's contacts had been notified to come pick the girls up and take them to the rendezvous point where Rufus would be kept. They were now almost at their destination.

Just then, Aeris had keeled over, clutching her head and cringing in horrible pain.

_Jenova lives again…_Aeris managed to discern through the anguished cries of the Planet. Its own screams and agony were causing her horrible physical pain.

Jessie leaned over next to Aeris and put her arms around the girl, desperately trying to comfort her somehow.

Aeris screamed one more time, and then abruptly went limp in Jessie's arms.

* * *

A/N: Whoops! Cliffhanger. Sorry. Just remember- cliffhangers have conclusions. I will give you one soon. This chapter was fun to write on so many levels.

Anyway, stay tuned to see what happens next. I look forward to reading your comments.


	12. Ch 12: Stalemate

Chapter 12: Stalemate

"What is the meaning of this??" Rufus demanded to know.

"I wouldn't suggest you try anything," Tseng warned the four men standing in front of him. He cocked his gun.

"Shit…!" Barrett muttered.

"What the hell?!" Zack exclaimed as he pointed ahead of him.

Tseng and Rufus looked up and saw the battle inside the reactor.

"What's going on?" Tifa called from the back.

_I've had enough of this…_Jenova sneered at the other woman. She looked up at the ceiling and raised a tentacle. A blast of energy radiated from the tip and shot up, crashing into the ceiling, creating a large hole. Closing her eyes, a flash of light enveloped her. Without warning, she rocketed through the air, out of the hole, and out of sight.

"This isn't good…" the woman muttered.

She then turned around, finally noticing what had happened. "Oh my…"

"Who are you?" Rufus glared in her direction.

"If you wouldn't mind putting the guns away…" the woman said calmly, "You'd be wise to listen to what I have to tell you,"

"Hell with this," Rufus shook his head as he pulled out his gun fired at the woman.

The woman barely flinched as her leg was severed below the knee. Everyone watched in shock as her leg instantly regenerated itself, just as Jenova had done with her arms a few minutes before.

"That was annoying, at worst," she remarked indifferently, "Sorry, but it'll take a lot more than guns and swords to kill me. I don't want to use force, but if you plan to back me into a corner, I'll have no choice but to defend myself,"

Rufus slowly lowered his pistol.

"Fine," he said. He turned to address the group behind him. "Everyone get inside now! Looks like we've got more to worry about than a faulty reactor,"

He and Tseng stepped inside, allowing Zack, Cloud, Curt, and Tifa to pass.

"Perhaps you can start by telling us your name," Vincent suggested.

"My name is Medea," the woman answered, "And yes, I am of the same race as the one you call Jenova,"

_So much going on under the old man's nose…_Rufus thought as he listened intently.

"So why should we trust you?" Vincent asked, "After all that Professor Gast said against Jenova, and after the effect she had on Sephiroth?"

Sephiroth stared silently, still visibly shaken from everything that had happened.

"The same reason you wouldn't attribute the actions of one mentally ill human to the rest of your race," Medea answered, "You're aware of the virus she gave to the Cetra, am I correct?"

"It's common history," Rufus nodded.

"What you don't know is that she herself was infected with that same virus," Medea went on, "The symptoms for our people are different than that of the Cetra, but devastating nonetheless. The Cetra either died or mutated, but with our people, it's the mind that degenerates. My people with the virus suffer from massive delusions, and are often dangerous,"

"And yet you went up against her when you could've caught what she had?" Barrett raised an eyebrow.

"Things have changed over the past two-thousand years," Medea told him, "We've since developed proper medicine to treat infected Cetra, and to prevent it altogether in my people,"

"Perfect!" Biggs said, "That means you can immunize Sephiroth and he won't act like he just did, right?"

"It's not that simple," Medea shook her head, "We were refused proper medical supplies until certain conditions were met, which I can't discuss right now. Also, another problem that may present itself is that Sephiroth is not a full-blooded Seraph,"

"Whoa- mind repeating that last word?" Zack scowled.

"Seraph is the name of mine and Jenova's people," Medea explained, "Seraphim is the plural term. Contrary to the history on your world, the Cetra and the Seraphim are on friendly terms. It has been this way for over a thousand years,"

"But the Cetra are gone," said Rufus, "The only two known Cetra disappeared ten years ago following the murder of Professor Hojo,"

"Driven away by your father's relentless pursuit of them," Medea responded coldly.

"If they can find what they refer to as the Promised Land…" Rufus shrugged, "Then it's worth the trouble. If they're not reasonable enough to come quietly…"

"Shut up!" Sephiroth pointed his sword at Rufus from the distance, having found his voice again.

Rufus peered at him. "Oh, it's you," he commented, "You must think you're pretty hot stuff to be strutting around Midgar the way you've been doing all these years…Sephiroth,"

Sephiroth's eyes widened. _He knows…?_

"Rubbing in my father's face that you're right in front of him and yet, no one can do a damn thing," Rufus sighed, "Had Professor Hojo survived, he might have found a way to weaken you to the point of us recapturing you. But everyone's afraid to go after you,"

Vincent walked up to Rufus. "What are you trying to accomplish here?"

"Oh, I don't mean to try and get him back, if that's what you're thinking," Rufus smoothed his hair back, "I think my father is like a little kid in his whole fantasy of the 'super-SOLDIER'. Stealing the DNA from another more competent race to make up for the faults of our own?"

"You sound as if you have absolutely no faith in mankind!" Tifa protested angrily.

Rufus ignored her. "But if the Ancients don't want to help us, then whatever. Technology can lead us to more mako- it's that simple,"

"Do you even know what the hell yer saying?!" Barrett exploded, "Yer draining the lifeblood of the Planet without any way of replacing it!"

"And Jenova will drain it further," Medea shook her head sadly.

"So then somebody's gotta stop, her, right?" Tifa stepped forward and looked pointedly at Rufus.

"I'll call my father and let him know that an extremely dangerous monster is on the loose," Rufus took out his PHS.

With lightning speed, Vincent snatched the phone out of the vice president's hand. "I would rather not get involved with your father's company,"

"I'd watch it if I were you," Tseng held up his gun.

"No one is going to be doing any fighting," Medea stated firmly, "Sephiroth and his friends are my top priority for now. I'd think twice before starting anything. For now, I will accompany these people to their destination,"

"Say what?!" Biggs exclaimed.

"And you're going to come up with a plan to get rid of that crazy alien?" Rufus asked skeptically.

"If we don't," Medea said simply, "Who will?"

"Then I'll have to accompany you, won't I?" Rufus brushed his hair back, "This undoubtedly affects the Shinra empire. I'm certainly not about to leave it up to a few vigilantes,"

Biggs and Barrett began to snicker.

"As you wish," Vincent turned away, smirked slightly.

"Sir?" Tseng scowled at Rufus, "Can we even trust them? What were they even doing in the reactor in the first place? They're clearly up to no good,"

"Then come with me," Rufus shrugged, "In fact…"

He turned to face the soldiers and Tifa.

"All of you will be joining us!"

"What?!" Tifa exclaimed, "Why?"

"If this gets out, there will be a lot of needless panic," Rufus explained, "I'd rather you not work the town into a frenzy,"

"So we're just supposed to let everyone think things are okay?" Tifa put her hands on her hips and glared at the vice president.

"It's fine," Medea said, "Jenova has most likely gone off somewhere secluded to heal after being held in stasis for so long. It'll be a while before she regains her strength,"

"I'll send one person to let the town know what's happened," Rufus looked over at the small group, "You," he pointed at Curt.

"Sir, shouldn't Tifa be the one to go back?" Zack asked, "She's just an innocent bystander. There's no reason to make her father worry,"

"Teenage girls are always hysterical," Rufus shook his head, "She's better off here where she can lead us out of the mountains, rather than going back and blowing the whole story out of proportion,"

"I'm _not_ hysterical!" Tifa continued to glare at Rufus.

"Shall we be going?" Medea asked patiently.

"Soon as I take care of this…" Zack went up to one of the pods and began to close the valve.

"All that trouble for one valve," Rufus remarked.

"There!" Zack stepped back from the valve.

"Lead the way," Medea smiled at Tifa.

"Er…sure," Tifa stepped forward and walked out the broken doorway. Everyone else followed.

"This…just tops it all…" Reno shook his head as everyone else went ahead of him.

Reluctantly, he hurried after the others.

"We were just supposed to kidnap the vice president," Biggs whispered to Vincent as they hiked through the mountains, "Not his Turks and soldiers as well!"

"We didn't have to kidnap him," Vincent couldn't help but smile, "He came of his own free will. This is even better than I could have hoped. If a rift is caused between the higher powers, then we won't have to lift a finger,"

"Do you think Jessie and Aeris got to the place all right?" Biggs asked.

Vincent pulled out his PHS. "No reception out here…" he muttered, "I'm sure the girls are fine. We'll meet with them eventually,"

* * *

"Hey, see? She's finally coming around!"

Aeris stirred and opened her eyes. She was lying in a bed, in a strange room. Just then, she could see Jessie's face hovering above her.

"Hey- are you okay now?" Jessie asked.

"So tired…" Aeris yawned.

The old man who had been driving Aeris and Jessie smiled at her. "You've been out for the past few hours. The others already arrived,"

"Did they capture Rufus?" Aeris quickly sat up.

"Well…not exactly," said Jessie, "But he's with us nonetheless. It's a long story,"

An old woman smiled at Aeris. "Everyone has been worried about you. Are you up to stepping outside?"

"Sure," Aeris nodded as she got out of the bed.

* * *

"Hey, she's alive!" Biggs exclaimed jokingly.

Zack grinned. "We just keep running into each other, don't we?"

Cloud smiled and nodded at her, still wearing his troopers' helmet.

"I can't believe you're in on this too," Tifa shook her head.

Medea went up to Aeris. "Nice to finally meet you. My name is Medea,"

Aeris shook the woman's hand. "What's going on?"

"From what I know about the Cetra," Medea said, "You're probably somewhat aware that Jenova is loose, am I right?"

"C-Cetra?" Aeris stammered nervously, "What do I have to do with them?"

"It doesn't matter anymore," Sephiroth spoke up, "Everyone knows what I am- it honestly doesn't matter if they know your secret as well,"

"Wait!" Zack stood up and went over to Medea and Aeris. "So you mean to say she's an Ancient?"

Vincent glared daggers at Zack. "And your problem with that is…?"

"Er…nothing!" Zack exclaimed, "I was just curious! Got no problem with it- I'm an open-minded guy!" he turned to Cloud, "You got a problem?"

"No, sir," Cloud shook his head.

"If it's him you're worried about," Medea indicated Rufus, "Don't be. He's powerless now,"

"Says you!" Rufus spat.

"She's right, actually," said Reno, "We're outnumbered, and-" he pointed at Medea, "they've got an invincible alien chick on their side. We try anything, we're screwed. Way to go, boss,"

"Shut up, Reno," Tseng said calmly.

"People, please," Medea waved her hand for attention, "We need to focus. Jenova is loose. Thankfully, humans are completely immune to the virus, but the fact is, she's still out of control. She could cause a number of disasters…however, I don't think she intends to do so directly,"

Her eyes briefly fell on Sephiroth before she continued to speak:

"I'm just a regular Seraph woman. I would hardly consider myself 'invincible'. Furthermore, I know next to nothing about this world. This is where all of you come in. Your knowledge of this world is crucial to stopping Jenova,"

"So what now?" Tifa asked.

"Until we find hints of Jenova's whereabouts," Medea said, "All we can do now is wait,"

"My…" the old woman smiled nervously, "Such a large amount of people in such a tiny house…I hope a lot of you like camping…"

* * *

"How the hell did that brat wind up getting to use the spare bedroom?!" Jessie exclaimed as she, Aeris, and Tifa sat in a large tent in the old couple's back yard later that evening.

"'Prince Rufus' gets what he wants," Tifa shrugged, "His loss. Bet he'd wet himself if he saw a Nibel wolf,"

"You know…" Jessie looked at Tifa, "We've got the upper hand. If you want to go back to Nibelheim, nobody would stop you. I'm sure your family must be worried about you,"

"Ah, I called my dad just before we got started on the tent," Tifa pulled a small PHS out of her pocket, "I might as well stick around. I've got my reasons,"

"Which are?" Jessie asked.

"That trooper that's here," Tifa smiled shyly, "He thinks he can hide from me under that helmet, but I finally recognize him,"

"You know Cloud?" Aeris scowled.

"Yeah," Tifa turned to look at Aeris, "I didn't know you knew him too,"

"I only met him once," Aeris proceeded to tell Tifa about the concert.

"Wait- so then it was _Cloud_ who sent me that autographed Behemoths album?" Tifa asked surprised, "I'd wondered who that was!"

"Oooh!!" Aeris grinned and Jessie nudged Tifa with a wink.

"But why would he hide from me?" Tifa sighed, "He's always been shy…but I thought that after what he'd said…"

"What'd he say?" Aeris pressed.

"Er- nothing important," Tifa shook her head.

"Aeris?" Medea's voice could be heard outside, "May I see you for a moment?"

"Oh sure," Aeris unzipped the tent and climbed outside, closing it up after her. "Be back later,"

* * *

"How ya doin', Seph?" Barrett asked as he, Sephiroth, and Biggs set up their tent.

"The same as the last six times you've asked me today," Sephiroth grumbled, "I'm fine,"

"No fever?"

"I'm not sick," Sephiroth responded.

"You sure about that?" Barrett asked.

"If you're worried I'll go berserk and kill you in your sleep, you're free to sleep outside," Sephiroth offered dryly, "The weather is perfect tonight,"

"Why the hell should _I_ be the one to sleep outside?" Barrett protested, "You're the one who might catch Jenova's cold,"

"Not if Jenova isn't around, which I'm certain she isn't," Medea went up to Barrett, with Aeris following behind her, "I'd like to speak further about this with Sephiroth, if you don't mind,"

Sephiroth stood up and nodded.

"Come with me," Medea began to walk to a more secluded spot.

* * *

"I wanted to speak with the two of you privately," Medea said as she, Aeris, and Sephiroth sat under a tree a good ways away from the campsite. "I'm sure the two of you have a lot of questions for me. And I'm sure you'd like them answered without an audience,"

Aeris sighed in relief. "Thank you," she said.

"Who exactly is Jenova?" Sephiroth asked.

"We can't really know," Medea shrugged, "This is an unusual case. Jenova came to this world before the Cetra and the Seraphim became allies. So much time has passed. She should have been dead centuries ago. It was a mistake on the part of the Cetra here to seal her. They only were delaying the inevitable. But they didn't know any better, so here we are,"

"So other Cetra still exist?" Aeris asked hopefully.

Medea smiled. "Yes. There are still millions of Cetra traveling around the galaxy. You've never been alone. Nor has Sephiroth,"

"Where are you from?" Sephiroth asked.

"The home world of the Seraphim is called Beud A'evori," Medea answered, "Located approximately ten light-years from your world, but can be accessed through certain gateways. There is one such gateway located in a deserted city up north,"

Aeris turned to look at Sephiroth, "She must be talking about the city of the Ancients,"

"Go on," Sephiroth said.

"I'm a member of a group of Cetra and their allies who watch over the planets that our respective people have settled on," Medea said, "Sort of an advanced police force, if you will. We monitored the situations from a space station we have floating near the Cetran galactic capital. We'd use those gateways to monitor other worlds. However, the gateway on this planet was inactive. We didn't even know about it. But one day, ten years ago, a group of people from that company called Shinra were investigating the ruins of that city. One of them triggered the gateway, causing a huge commotion at headquarters,"

"Shinra always stirs up trouble," Sephiroth muttered, "So what happened then?"

"My superiors panicked that these people would enter the gateway and cause all sorts of trouble for us," Medea leaned back against the tree, "We could tell right away that they were not Cetra or Seraph, and were completely ignorant of the gateway's purpose. My husband and I were immediately sent over to stop that from happening,"

"But you said that was ten years ago," Aeris pointed out, "What does that have to do with now?"

"That is part of my story, and also ties into the reason why these gateways aren't used casually. They are a rather archaic feature of Cetra culture.

"You see, when my husband and I arrived, the soldiers of the group immediately attacked us. Using this…" she pulled out of her traveling pack what looked to be a manipulate materia, only it was twice as large, and brighter in color. "…we were able to subdue the entire group without shedding a single drop of blood. Upon questioning members, we had found out about a Cetra woman who had recently been imprisoned, along with her husband, and a being that resembled an Seraph woman. So we set off to rescue them,"

"Those are my parents!!" Aeris cried suddenly, "You mean _you_ were the ones who rescued my parents? And you waited ten years to tell me that?!"

"Please," Medea held up a hand, "I am trying to explain this situation as best as I can. Please bear with me.

"We'd reached the ghost city in a couple of days. Upon relaying the situation to my superiors, our orders were to flee back to headquarters, with Professor and Mrs. Gast. It was not easy, I'll tell you. Your mother absolutely refused to leave without you or Sephiroth. It was our boss who promised her that once she and her husband were safely on the other side of the gateway, that my husband and I would come back and fetch the children and search for Jenova.

"Yet, something went horribly wrong during the transportation process. While the machine leading from headquarters to this world was in prime working order, the one here had suffered a flaw from centuries of neglect…"

Aeris went deathly pale. _She's going to tell me that my parents were killed in some kind of accident, isn't she…?_

"…Traveling through gateways involves achieving a speed that goes beyond that of light. Done alone, it can cause severe complications with time. And unfortunately, the space-time mechanism had malfunctioned. While the trip through the gateway only lasted ten seconds…when we had returned and gotten our bearings straight, it was discovered that ten years had passed during the journey. My superiors had believed we'd all perished during the trip back,"

"WHAT?!" Aeris stood up.

"As far as I'm concerned," Medea went on, "Only six weeks have passed since my husband and I rescued your parents from Professor Hojo's laboratory,"

"You mean to tell me that in your carelessness…" Aeris stood, displaying an unusual expression of rage, "You _forgot_ about something so important as the physics of space travel, and cost me my childhood with my parents?! It sounds so ludicrous I could almost laugh!"

"I apologize on behalf of my superiors," Medea bowed her head, "This was a situation that had never happened before- a neglected Cetra colony, that is. There was no particular organization to the Cetra way of life until centuries after your kin had settled here, so we had no way of knowing about this. We acted in haste to an unexpected scenario, and are aware of what that has cost you. Believe me, you're taking this better than your mother did. She actually punched out my chief supervisor when he told her the bad news,"

"She would do that," Sephiroth mused.

"Professor Gast also informed about the story of Jenova," Medea continued, "And so my husband and I were sent back out here to deal with her threat, and to retrieve the two of you. My husband has remained in the city to fix the defunct mechanism on the gateway so that this does not happen again,"

"Wait- why should I go with you?" Aeris glared at Medea, "If you were so powerful that you could use one lousy materia to stop Shinra's army, then why didn't you leave my parents with your hubby, and go find us?! You're acquainted with my people- I'm sure they had big fancy machinery to track down two kids! Instead, you acted recklessly, and took my parents away from me when I needed them the most!! How am I supposed to even TRUST you?!

"I should have been taking piano lessons against my will, and having slumber parties with my friends! Instead, I had to take up the sword to protect myself! I've _always_ hated fighting! And I couldn't afford to make many friends! Jessie's the first new one I've made in years!

"I didn't have anyone to tell me about boys, or about growing up! When I had my first period, it was my _neighbor_ who had to convince me that I wasn't going to bleed to death! And that feeling every night, of always wondering, and never really knowing if my parents were even alive…!"

She broke off and fell to her knees sobbing.

Medea sighed and rested her forehead in her hand. "…There is nothing I can say to make things any better. All we can do is look to the future and try to remedy the situation as it is now,"

_How?_ Aeris thought miserably…_how can I make up for ten years lost because some stupid bureaucrats lost their heads in a commotion?_

A hand gently touched her shoulder, which she instantly grabbed and held onto. She didn't need to look up to know whose it was. After all, it was always Sephiroth's hand that had comforted her all those years when things became too much.

Medea sighed as she watched the two. Being a subordinate always meant she would often find herself blamed for the sins of her superiors. She'd learned to detach herself in such situations. However, seeing the pain that the girl in front of her was in, was a different situation, considering that she and her husband had also experienced the same pain.

"Don't blame Medea for what's happened," Sephiroth told Aeris gently, "She's a victim too. She's also lost ten years with the people she loves. But if she hadn't done what she did, your parents probably wouldn't have survived. Vincent's attempt to rescue them was quite reckless, in hindsight,"

Aeris had calmed down slightly. "I guess…" she managed to say, "…Sephy's right. You were just following orders…like Zack with the Shinra,"  
Sephiroth nodded. The SOLDIER whom Aeris and Jessie had met, therefore, disrupting their original mission. _He might have inadvertently saved Aeris from something horrible. She likely would have followed me to the reactor much quicker than the others. Would I have lost my self-control after all Jenova had said to me with her right there…? God, can I even protect her anymore?_

_Yes you can…_

Sephiroth looked up at Medea, glaring at her for reading his thoughts again.

_Tomorrow, we'll work on learning to conceal your thoughts…_Medea spoke to him telepathically. _Your weakness isn't just about your feelings for Aeris, but the fact that your mind is specially linked to Jenova. If she were healthy, it would not be a problem. But she is clearly obsessed with you, and intends to use you to fulfill her needs._

Medea stood up. "Perhaps we should continue this discussion tomorrow morning. But before I go…Aeris…"

The woman reached into her pocket, and pulled out a small white orb. She took Aeris' hand, and placed the shiny object in it.

The half-Cetra looked up and her eyes widened. _Mama's special materia!_

"Ifalna asked me to give this to you," Medea told her, "And from what I've gathered from the overall situation, it may very well come in handy. Hold onto this,"

Aeris closed her eyes as she clenched the materia in her hand.

"Try and get some sleep," Medea smiled, "Just remember- your parents are alive, and you'll see them again soon- I promise you,"

Aeris nodded and hastily wiped her eyes. She then watched as the woman retreated to a spare tent that Zack had offered her, having chosen to bunk with Cloud instead.

"Are you all right?" Sephiroth asked quietly. He proceeded to sit down right next to her, never breaking contact with her shoulder.

Aeris let out a long, shuddery sigh as she finally released Sephiroth's hand. "I guess I'll be okay…just…was a lot of info to digest…"

"I understand,"

Aeris giggled slightly. "My mother really decked a guy…wow…"

Sephiroth chuckled softly. "I can believe it,"

They sat for a moment, before he spoke again:

"I remember when you were about a year old, we all went out to dinner. They'd put peanuts in the professor's desert, even though he'd requested otherwise,"

"But Papa's allergic to peanuts!" Aeris looked alarmed.

Sephiroth nodded. "And even though he could see the peanuts right away, Mom threw a fit and went on that the waitress was trying to kill him because he'd complained about his dinner not being hot enough…or something crazy like that. I didn't know whether to be amused or scared,"

Aeris smiled and shook her head. "Mama always did have a temper, didn't she?"

They sat there together for a minute, smiling as they remembered happier times. Finally, Sephiroth stood up. "It's getting late," he stated as he looked at the tents scattered about in the distance, "Maybe we should get some sleep-"

His words were cut off as he felt Aeris wrap her arms around his waist from behind, holding on tightly.

"…I don't know what I'd have done without you…" she whispered.

Sephiroth closed his eyes. He knew he shouldn't let her get close like that, but something about Medea's reassuring words allowed him to relax for once.

Tentatively, he placed one hand on hers.

"Go get some sleep," he told her, "It's been a long day,"

"Right…" Aeris backed away, feeling slightly sheepish for being so emotional with him.

"Goodnight, Aeris,"

"Goodnight, big brother," Aeris walked away.

_Big brother…see? Just forget about it. You have more important things to worry about._

Taking a deep breath, Sephiroth began to walk back toward his tent.

* * *

A/N: Congrats go to Blackstar, who guessed the identity of the mystery woman!

Will Sephiroth ever resolve his feelings for Aeris? Or will a certain raven-haired SOLDIER move in on her? How will President Shinra react to all this when he finally finds out? What will Jessie think about having to work with the Turks she so despises?

Stay tuned and find out!


	13. Ch 13: Training

Chapter 13: Training

Aeris tossed and turned for about the hundredth time since she'd climbed into her sleeping bag. Jessie and Tifa were fast asleep in their own bags on either side of her.

Jessie's words when Aeris had come back from Gongaga had unearthed something she'd kept buried deep inside for years. And as time passed, she found herself less and less able to deny it any longer.

Her feelings for Sephiroth had slowly begun to change since he'd left for Midgar three years ago. She now realized that no girl's heart would race after her own brother came back from a month-long journey just to spend a few days with his sister.

_Unless it's one of those messed-up religious apocalyptic mangas…_

Another memory had popped up as well, which she'd deliberately forgotten about due to how humiliating the thought was. A couple years ago, she'd watched Sephiroth practicing his swordplay. It had been hot that day, and he'd removed his shirt. Aeris had found herself fighting the urge to walk up to him and grope his pecs right then and there.

Jessie had forced her to face one important fact: he was not her biological brother.

_Like adopted siblings run off together the first chance they get?_

Aeris knew it wasn't the same, though. Not since she was seven. True, they'd lived together practically her whole life, but had the dynamics changed with the absence of her parents? What would they even have said? Would she even think about Sephiroth that way if she'd had a more normal social life growing up?

Aeris groaned, not knowing what to think.

_No sleep for me tonight…_

* * *

Rufus walked into the kitchen where everyone was settling down to eat. Unsurprisingly, no one there save for Tseng had bothered to greet him. Unfazed, he sat down at the large table and poured himself a bowl of cereal.

After a few minutes, he noticed Barrett glaring icily at him from across the table.

"Good morning to you too," Rufus deadpanned.

Barrett growled and stormed out.

Aeris trudged sleepily into the room. She had changed out of her usual outfit and was now dressed in a red and white halter top, with dark brown stretch shorts that matched her usual combat boots.

"That shirt looks so cool on you!" Tifa exclaimed.

Zack's hand had dropped to the table, leaving his spoon dangling in his mouth, some milk dribbling down his chin. He quickly removed the spoon and wiped his face.

"Thanks…" Aeris mumbled as she reached for the box of shredded wheat on the table.

"Aside from the change of clothes, you look like hell," Jessie observed, "You sleep on a rock or something?"

"No…" Aeris said as she poured herself some cereal, "Did Medea say what's going on today?"

"She's off with Vincent and Sephiroth studying the world map," Jessie replied, "Then she said she had to start 'training' Sephiroth. Whatever that means,"  
"So does that mean the rest of us just get to hang around here doing nothing?" Zack groaned.

"We're just going to have to wait and see," Jessie shrugged.

Aeris ate her breakfast while listening to everyone else chattering around her. After finishing, she excused herself, went outside, grabbed her sword out of her tent, and pulled it out of its sheath.

After practicing a few thrusts, Aeris spun around and raised her sword, preparing to bring it down on its imaginary target.

_CLANG!!!_

Aeris stared in surprise at Zack's grinning face. Using only one hand, he was easily holding back her attack with his over-sized sword.

"Care to spar?" he asked casually as he turned the blade of his sword around.

Aeris turned her sword around as well, and then sprang back. Wasting no time, she charged at the young soldier and swung. He knocked the attack to the side. Stepping back, Zack slashed at the air near Aeris' shoulder. Aeris stepped to the side casually.

"You're not even trying," she accused as she stabbed at him.

"Geez!" Zack hastily blocked her attack, "You trying to kill me?"

"Isn't that the idea of swordsmanship?" Aeris smirked.

"As if you could ever kill another human being," Zack chuckled.

"That a challenge?"

"I don't mean that in a bad way," Zack looked at her, "I just mean that you're too in love with life to ever deprive another person of it,"

"You immediately assume that from the few times we've interacted?" Aeris looked skeptical, "Or are you making stereotypes now that you know I'm half-Cetra?"

"Actually, it was unavoidable when looking at you and that brother of yours," said Zack, "Night and day, the two of you. That guy wouldn't be afraid to kill a man. I'll bet if he'd been raised differently, he could have easily become a cold-blooded murderer,"

Aeris' eyes narrowed. "Don't talk about Sephy like that,"

"'Sephy'?" Zack snickered.

"Yeah- don't ever repeat that to him," Aeris shook her head, "He barely tolerates me calling him that, let alone anyone else,"

"I suppose you can't see my point of view if you can call a guy like that 'Sephy'," Zack scratched his head.

"What exactly is the point you're trying to make?" Aeris asked.

"My point is that I can't figure you out at all," Zack lowered his sword, "And now that we're apparently on the same side, I don't know what to make of things,"

Aeris lowered her sword as well.

"God, when did things get so complicated?" Zack sighed, "I'm a Shinra man, and I'm working with terrorists,"

"You seemed excited about it before," Aeris peered at the soldier curiously.

"Part of me is," Zack nodded, "But come on- even _you_ have to admit that things have just gone to hell in a hand basket!"

"Jenova's re-awakening _is_ cause for panic," Aeris admitted, "But I'm not worried. We know a lot more than my ancestors did the first time they dealt with her,"

"I should stay as positive as you do," Zack smiled at her. "Makes things a lot easier,"

"Am I interrupting?"

Zack and Aeris spun around to see Cloud standing behind them, still wearing his Troopers' helmet.

"Hey, buddy," Zack greeted him.

"Is your helmet stuck or something?" Aeris giggled, "You haven't taken it off since we came here,"

"I…uh…" Cloud looked away.

"Just let it go," Zack waved his hand dismissively.

"Did you sleep in that helmet?" Aeris teased, "What are you trying to hide?"

"Fine," Cloud took off the helmet, "Happy?"

"Good," Zack immediately snatched the helmet from Cloud.

"Give that back!" Cloud tried to reach for the helmet, but the taller Zack held it above his head, out of the younger boy's reach.

"Oh, hey, Tifa!" Aeris waved.

Cloud immediately ducked and covered his head with his arms.

"Hah! Fooled ya," Aeris pointed at Cloud.

"So you figured it out, huh?" Zack chuckled.

Cloud shot Aeris an irritated look.

"You that shy around girls?" Aeris asked, "And I thought you were just playing it cool at the show,"

"All right," Zack chided her with a grin, "That's enough of tormenting Cloud…though it's easy to do,"

"Then I'm off," Aeris smiled, "Thanks for the sparring, Zack,"

"You both suck," Cloud grumbled as he watched her walk away.

"Be a man, Strife," Zack's easygoing demeanor suddenly became strict, "You can't expect to get into SOLDIER if you're gonna act like a baby around some crush of yours. Why do you even want to be in SOLDIER anyway? Is it all just to impress that chick?"

Cloud shook his head.

"What, then? You're totally trying to prove yourself all the time. I could always see that. You work hard to get into SOLDIER, but you're not focused. And until that happens…well, I hope you like guns. Because they won't ever give you one of these…" Zack held up his Buster sword, "…at the rate you're going. I know you don't wanna hear that, but as your superior officer, _and_ your friend, I know what I'm talking about. And a good SOLDIER should at least be able to _try_ and get the girl he's after,"

"Oh, like you've done so far?" Cloud raised an eyebrow, "You're totally hot for Aeris,"

"And I'm working on it!" Zack smirked, "Just kinda playing it cool for now. This is the perfect place to work the ole' magic. We're in an isolated area, with no possible competition from what I can see,"

"What about Sephiroth?"

Zack looked at his subordinate. "He's her brother,"

"Actually, he's not," Cloud shook his head, "I was talking to that big guy, Barrett, after breakfast. The two were raised together, but they're not related at all,"

"So that's why they looked nothing at all alike," Zack murmured. "Whatever. He's had more time to make her his than I have. If he didn't take advantage of that, he's obviously not interested,"

"The Pit Bull strikes again…" Cloud muttered, "Once you've got your eye on a girl, you never let go, do you?"

"Hah! It's that kind of pit bull mentality that makes a First-Class SOLDIER," Zack laughed, "Come on, let's go work on our drills…"

* * *

"It's as simple as envisioning a wall," Medea explained to Sephiroth as they sat alone in the fields. This wall muffles the thoughts. Don't put all of your focus into what you're thinking. Eventually, you'll hardly notice the wall yourself. And you will be able to communicate telepathically with me, and with any other Seraph, but without allowing them to see what's private,"

Sephiroth closed his eyes and began to concentrate.

"Keep your eyes open," Medea told him, "Filtering your thoughts is something you have to do all your waking hours. You can't expect to spend the entire day with your eyes shut,"

Sephiroth opened his eyes and continued to focus.

"Think of something," Medea instructed, "But don't let me find out what it is you're thinking. Remember the wall,"

Sephiroth kept staring ahead of him.

"You're thinking…about…something about the Shinra company," Medea glanced at Sephiroth, "Not bad. I could only pick up the general idea,"

_I was wondering how long it would be before Rufus' father sends out dozens of helicopters to search the world for his kid._

Medea smiled. _Good job. You learn fast. You've got a wall, but it has several holes. You need to envision this wall all the time. Imagine that everyone you're around could read your mind as easily as I can. Nobody wants people to know what's going on in their head all the time. And you especially don't want Jenova to know what's going on in your head. Due to the fact that you share her own DNA, you two have a much stronger telepathic link, just as any Seraph parent would have with their child. It's probably the reason why she occasionally calls you her son. She'd use the anger your harbor toward Shinra, and the feelings you have, not just for Aeris, but for your comrades, and your father._

Sephiroth stiffened.

_I'm seeing less holes in the wall. You're a private man, I can tell that even without telepathy. Just remember- Jenova is probably feeding off of your thoughts right now. All of your thoughts- she'll use them to manipulate you into carrying out her wishes. It's part of the sickness. Nihilistic, narcissistic, hedonism. Seraphim with the virus lose all sense of boundaries. They only want one thing: quick pleasure. And they do dangerous things to achieve it. One habit they engage in is the feeding off of the lifestream itself. Yes, there is a lifestream on Beud A'evori as well. She may very well attempt to feed off the one here, which is why the spirit of your planet is distressed. When it's distressed, Aeris will feel it. That is why she collapsed yesterday._

Sephiroth looked at Medea. _You talk a lot._

"Are you at least listening?" Medea spoke aloud, "My words are what may very well save you _and_ the people you care about. If you let your guard down, you will eventually link to Jenova's mind completely- virus and all. You'll be just as insane as she is,"

"I understand," Sephiroth closed his eyes and rubbed at his temple, "I appreciate this, Ms. Medea,"

"Just Medea is fine," the woman said, "Anything else makes me feel old. I'm not even thirty-five, you know,"

"What will happen after this 'wall' is complete?"

"I can't tell you the answer right now," Medea shook her head, "Not until you can hide it from Jenova,"

"Are there any other abilities I may have that you haven't told me about?" Sephiroth asked her, "How did you get away from me so quickly on the ship?"

"Close your eyes," Medea's own eyes twinkled.

"What for?"

"Humor me,"

Sephiroth obeyed.

"Who says I got away?" a man's voice asked him.

Sephiroth's eyes shot open in surprise. Standing before him was the sailor he'd seen mopping the deck after Medea had left.

The woman then shifted back to her original appearance.

"This was how I rescued Professor Gast," she explained, "I changed my appearance to match that of a SOLDIER I'd manipulated into leaving the area. I took his place and simply walked up to the cell and opened the door. Have you never tried it?"

"I wasn't aware that I could," Sephiroth looked extremely interested.

"I'm not completely sure that you'd be able to," Medea looked thoughtful, "Professor Gast told me he was the one who delivered you. He said you had been born with a human body,"

"You weren't born with that body?" Sephiroth scowled.

"Jenova's appearance is closer to the true form of the Seraphim, save for the blue skin, which is another symptom of the virus," said Medea, "Beud A'evori is mostly mountains. Upon her arrival here, she assimilated into the body of a Cetra to get around easier. Believe me- it's very difficult to walk around on land with wings instead of legs,"

"So your livelihood is based on being able to completely adapt to nature," Sephiroth remarked, "Interesting,"

"There's so much you don't know yet," Medea looked at the sky, "It's going to be a while before we're all ready to leave. I hope the others are using their time well…"

* * *

_Not bad…_Rufus thought as he watched the others around him.

Barrett, Biggs, and Vincent were engaged in target practice aiming at random junk found in the old couple's basement. The couple had been remarkably generous with their guests.

Rufus marveled at how focused the three men were. He then spotted Tifa off to the side, practicing her martial arts. In the distance, Zack was still drilling Cloud. Nearby, Tseng and Reno seemed to be busy cleaning and maintaining their respective weapons.

The only people Rufus had ever known that had ever taken sufficient action involving anything were members of SOLDIER. The executives in the company were indecisive morons, and the Turks, with the exception of Tseng and possibly Reno, were only interested in their paychecks, much like the rest of the world.

Yet, these people he was with had been presented with a rather large problem, and here they were immediately taking steps to solve it. Even during this lull, they were still trying to keep their wits about them. Most people would either whine, or look for someone else to solve the problem.

Looking around, he could see Sephiroth and Medea making their way back to the house.

"Mr. Vice President," Medea greeted him.

Rufus nodded politely. "Are you ready to help come up with a plan?"

"Come to the guest room in ten minutes," Medea told him, "Vincent and I will join you there,"

She went on her way. Rufus watched her for a moment before turning around and heading back inside the house.

* * *

"Stupid boss!" Jessie yelled as she sat on the sofa playing a handheld game. Aeris sat next to her watching. "None of these spells work!"

"Uh…keep pounding on those little red buttons?" Aeris suggested with a shrug.

Jessie flashed Aeris an annoyed look.

"What?" Aeris held up her hands, "I was eleven the last time I played one of those things! They're way too confusing,"

Neither girl seemed to notice Rufus standing over Jessie's shoulder watching her play."Regular attacks won't work on that boss," he said finally, "He's a zombie. You have to use healing spells,"

Jessie paused the game and looked up at the vice president, somewhat surprised, and slightly annoyed.

"I'm supposed to take gaming advice from you?" she asked sarcastically.

"Fine," Rufus shrugged, "Do it the hard way. No one ever listens to reason, do they?"

Jessie un-paused her game and continued to play. Rufus stepped back a bit, but continued to watch, though he himself didn't know why.

"Oh, wow!" Jessie exclaimed, "It worked!"

"So you did listen," Rufus looked at her.

"Erm…thanks…I guess," Jessie looked away.

"Not many people I've met who can get that far in that game," Rufus remarked as he walked away.

"Didn't know some big-shot like him was into video games," Aeris mused.

"Now I'll never be able to enjoy this game," Jessie grumbled as she handed the device to Aeris, "Have a ball,"

Aeris took the game and stared at the screen as she began mashing the buttons. "Um…I can't make any of the characters move,"

Jessie glanced at the game. "It's a cut-scene," she said, "You don't need to do anything now. Just sit back and watch the story play out…"

* * *

"The Northern Crater is where Jenova was found by Professor Gast over twenty-five years ago," Vincent pointed at a spot on the map laid out on the bed, "It's also thought to be the site where she first landed,"

"Are there any pictures I could see of the site?" Medea asked.

Rufus reached under the bed and pulled out his laptop. He then pulled his PHS out of his pocket.

"This may take a while," he explained as he prepared to plug the phone into the computer, "Anyway, ten years ago, Professor Hojo had begun a report on the location of the Promised Land. Ifalna Gast had informed him that the area in the Northern Crater had high concentrations of mako, in response to the collision. Since then, my father has always had people investigating not only the crater, but the entire Northern Continent. Hojo's death and the Ancient's disappearance were two huge setbacks for the president's plans,"

"All's well that ends well…" Vincent droned.

"Doesn't make a difference to me," Rufus shrugged as he turned on the computer and set it on the dresser, "I personally thought my father was wrong in putting so much trust into an idiot like Hojo. And here we are, putting similar faith into his son,"

"Sephiroth is _my _son," Vincent said coldly, "And there's nothing wrong with him,"

Rufus smirked derisively. "You mean _you_ knocked up the late Mrs. Hojo? Wow…no wonder Sephiroth looked like such a basket-case back at the reactor. A terrorist for a father, a slut for a mother, and a nutcase for a step-daddy…"

Vincent shot out of his seat and grabbed Rufus by the back of his jacket. He then lightly grasped the young man's head in his claw-like left hand.

"I could crush that smart-mouthed head of yours in one little movement," Vincent hissed, "You can insult me all you want, but if you _ever_ speak of Sephiroth's mother that way again, I'll make your journey back to the lifestream as painful as possible!"

"That's enough, Vincent," Medea reproached him calmly, "Your original idea was not to harm the boy. Let's keep it that way,"

Vincent shoved Rufus' head forward, causing the young man to lose his balance and fall to the floor. He then walked over to the other side of Medea.

"So a Turk can fall in love, huh?" Rufus got to his feet and brushed off his clothes. "Who knew?"

"Is the computer ready yet?" Medea asked impatiently.

Rufus clicked on the mouse button a couple times. "Should be a couple minutes to connect. Not much for internet out here, but once I'm on, we'll be able to find as many photographs as you need,"

"Thank you, Rufus," Medea smiled.

"Just trying to one-up the old man," Rufus told her, "Nothing more,"

"I don't care what your motives are," Medea leaned over Rufus' shoulder and looked at the computer screen.

Rufus stared at the screen for a minute until the "welcome" sign flashed.

"Here we go…" Rufus began typing.

Vincent stood back, watching warily.

"There," Rufus stood back and allowed Medea to look at the pictures on the screen.

"…Interesting," Medea remarked after a couple minutes, "This crater…doesn't look like the kind made by even the most rudimentary spacecraft. I'm imagining there must have been quite the explosion involved for such a deep hole to appear,"

"I was on the mission where Jenova was uncovered," Vincent said, "We never did find anything else. Of course, since she was immediately mistaken for an Ancient, there would be no need to locate the parts for a spaceship,"

"Despite the threat she presents, I'm extremely curious to find out who Jenova really was," Medea mused, "No matter. Mr. Shinra, can you check the news for reports on any possible sightings…?"

* * *

By the time Rufus left the bedroom, two hours had passed. While Medea and Vincent walked out the back door, the young VP went back into the living room. Jessie and Aeris hadn't moved from the couch, and Tifa had since joined them. Tifa now held the game, and all three girls were bawling incoherently.

_They must have finished the first disc…_Rufus shook his head and chuckled lightly as he went into the kitchen.


	14. Ch 14: Anticipation

Chapter 14: Anticipation

"So…how have you been?"

Tifa stood on the porch as she watched the sun setting. Behind her, Cloud sat on a wooden bench as he cleaned his assault rifle.

The trooper shifted uncomfortably. "All right,"

"Gotten pretty good with that thing?" Tifa pointed at the gun.

"It's not that hard," Cloud shrugged.

"When you first left…" Tifa giggled, "I used to look in the papers all the time for any news about you in SOLDIER. Then my dad told me that I shouldn't expect to see you in that branch of Shinra's army so quickly,"

"Some guys make it in pretty fast," said Cloud, "Zack made it in after only a year,"

"Well, people work better at different paces," Tifa shrugged, "I bet that guy was class president, and the star of the sports teams,"

"…Not class president, but you're right about the sports part," Cloud acknowledged.

"You used to be so scrawny." Tifa sat down next to him.

"I still kinda am," Cloud muttered, embarrassed.

"No, you're more wiry than scrawny," Tifa told him, "You'll make a great SOLDIER someday. You look good,"

Cloud smiled, embarrassed. "Thanks. You…" He tried not to look at Tifa's cleavage. "You look good yourself,"

"Thanks." Tifa blushed slightly.

"So what have you been up to?" Cloud asked.

"Well," Tifa looked thoughtful, "Let's see…"

* * *

Aeris lay in the grass the next morning, holding her mother's materia up to the sun.

_She said it was special…because it was good for absolutely nothing. I never understood that. And now Medea wants me to hang onto it in case I can use it. Did my mother lie?_

"Yo,"

Aeris looked up to see Zack standing over her, smiling as always.

"Hello," Aeris sat up, "Done with today's drills?"

"Yeah," Zack sat down next to her. "It's still morning, and I've got nothing to do. It's been four days, and I'm about to lose my mind,"

"Medea says we can't leave until we're sure we can track down Jenova," Aeris reminded him, "And until Sephiroth is ready,"

"It shouldn't be too long now,"

Aeris and Zack jerked their heads around to see Sephiroth standing behind them.

"Damn!" Zack exclaimed, "You like giving people heart attacks or something?"

"Aren't soldiers supposed to have incredible reflexes?" Sephiroth replied coolly.

"Didn't think I needed my guard up quite yet," Zack shrugged, "So BORING here!"

He flopped down onto the grass, lying on his back and staring up at the sky.

"How was training, Seph?" Aeris asked.

"Tiring," Sephiroth admitted, "But I'll live,"

"You should rest up then," Zack yawned, "I'd take a nap myself…but the tent's so far away…"

"Stop it," Aeris yawned, "Now you're making me feel tired,"

"Hah!" Zack exclaimed, "It's contagious!"

Aeris lightly swatted Zack's head with her hand. Zack chuckled and lazily flung his arm at Aeris, missing completely.

"Ugh…" Aeris lay down about three feet away from the soldier.

Sephiroth didn't miss the hopeful look on Zack's face from seeing Aeris laying next to him.

"Hey, sit down if you're gonna join us," Aeris tugged at Sephiroth's cloak.

"Very well," Sephiroth sat down on the other side of Aeris and proceeded to stare rather pointedly at Zack.

"This place reminds me of Fort Condor," Aeris commented as she pocketed the materia, "I miss being there. I wonder if the other side of the gateway is as pretty as this place,"

"Gateway?" Zack scowled.

Aeris nodded. "Yeah. There's a hidden way to travel to other worlds,"

"Really?" Zack was intrigued.

"My parents are on the other side of the gateway. Once Jenova is gone, and the gateway is fixed," Aeris couldn't help but smile, "I'll get to go see them again,"

"Wait- so you're gonna leave after this is all done with?" Zack frowned, "Does that mean I'll never see you again?"

"I don't know," Aeris answered honestly, "But," she paused for a moment, "I'm just so tired of running and hiding,"

"Does this mean you want to give up the fight against Shinra?" Sephiroth asked her.

Zack winced.

"What fight?" Aeris shrugged, "Rufus Shinra himself is working with us of his own choice. Plus, you told me he wasn't the least bit interested in using either of us,"

"He's still not the one in charge," Sephiroth reminded her, "His father is the reason why someone like Hojo was not only hired, but allowed to commit all the atrocities he did. And I'm sure Rufus will commit his own crimes,"

"Guess we'll just have to wait and see what happens," Zack said.

Aeris climbed to her feet and stretched. "Yeah, guess so. I'm gonna go see if our hosts need any help with chores or whatever,"

She left.

"Chores…" Zack blinked, "That never occurred to me. Maybe I can help too. It's the least I can do for that old couple,"

He made a move to get up, but Sephiroth laid a strong hand on the boy's shoulder, forcing him back down.

"But you said you were tired," Sephiroth reminded him, "You should rest,"

"I got my second wind," Zack tried to get up again.

Sephiroth pulled him down again. "You shouldn't strain yourself,"

"I'll wash dishes," Zack replied.

"I'm sure the dishes were already washed,"

"Is there something wrong with me helping Aeris help others?" Zack asked point-blank. "…Or is there just something wrong with me helping Aeris period?"

"I don't trust you," Sephiroth said flatly.

"Of course!" Zack snorted, "Big bad Shinra man hanging around Aeris? What- you think I'm gonna hit her over the head with a broom, stuff her in a sack and mail her to Shinra Headquarters?"

"Quite a sense of humor you have there,"

Zack stood up. "I'm going to help Aeris with the chores," he announced firmly.

Sephiroth stood up. "Then the more, the merrier," he said, "Lead the way,"

Biting his tongue, Zack strode toward the house.

* * *

"Well!" Rufus exclaimed as he glanced at the headline on his computer screen, "They sure have been milking all the publicity over my disappearance,"

Reno leaned over the vice president's shoulder and looked at the screen. "It's all about you," he said, "Didn't they get the memo about Jenova?"

"And let the company get bad PR for having dug up Jenova in the first place?" Rufus asked in mock disbelief, "Feh!"

"So what do you think happened to that other trooper?" Reno asked.

Rufus shrugged. "Probably got paid an ass-load of money to keep quiet, if I know the old man,"

"Are there any plans for us to leave soon?" Tseng asked.

"Valentine's got someone to give us a lift out of here when his boy's done with whatever special training Medea's giving him so he doesn't go insane or something," Rufus told the Turks. "Medea said to give them another three days, and then we'll be going to Mideel,"

"Why Mideel?" Tseng inquired.

"We can't trust the Shinra newspapers, but there _have_ been a lot of sightings of Jenova on various websites. Granted, word of mouth isn't as reliable, but the description of Jenova matches every time. A blue-skinned 'angel' with purple wings and silver hair. There's also been news reports on some strange murders that have happened in Mideel as well,"

There was a knock on the door. Reno opened it.

"I thought this might help you," Jessie said as she walked in the room. She went over to Rufus and placed a small object next to his laptop.

"What is that?" Reno asked her.

Jessie ignored him and left the room.

"Bitch…" Reno muttered.

"She really doesn't like the two of us, does she?" Tseng remarked to Reno.

"Whatever," Reno yawned, "Doesn't make a difference to me,"

Rufus looked at the device. "It's a signal booster. This might help stop the connection from dropping all the time…"

He trailed off, and then glared at the screen. "…like it just did now. Great…"

* * *

Vincent sat on the front porch. Dinner had just ended, and things were quiet around the house. Most likely, Rufus was back in the guest room checking for more clues to Jenova's location, with Tseng and Reno with him most likely. The other Avalanche members were in the living room watching TV.

Three more days. By then, Sephiroth would be ready, according to Medea. Vincent dearly hoped that no bloodshed would occur before then. The tension hadn't been as thick as he thought it would be, but it was still there. Though the two soldiers seemed to be getting along with everyone(save for Reno), there were a few issues going on. Nobody seemed to like Rufus, which was understandable. Jessie's hatred of the Turks was understandable as well, given her history with them. And today at dinner, Vincent had noticed Sephiroth and Zack sitting on either side of Aeris, both of them casting the other an occasional glare. Aeris hadn't seemed to notice.

_I'm not even going to ask…_

"Medea," he called out as he saw the Seraph woman walking past him.

She smiled. "Yes, Vincent?"

"There's something I've been meaning to ask you," Vincent moved over on the bench, allowing room for Medea to sit.

"Go right ahead," she sat down next to him.

"Sephiroth told me your story," Vincent said, "I couldn't help wondering why you and your husband put aside all the problems you must have been having in order to help us,"

Medea sighed, and spoke after a bit:

"I may seem cool and collected to you all the time," she said, "But rest assured, I was not this way when I found out I lost ten years of my life. Granted, it could have been worse. My husband might have been left behind, but at least we're in this together. Still…ten years. It's an awfully long time,"

Vincent nodded. "I understand," he said, "I lost seven years of my life, albeit in a different way. One time, I decided to go back to my hometown. I regret doing that. I'd changed so much. I wasn't the man I used to be. Slowly, I'm healing. Mostly because I'm at least doing something to solve the problem,"

"Exactly," Medea pointed out, "Everything _had_ changed. Perhaps I was running away at first, but this is a distraction I don't mind. In fact, this would be a nice place to start over…so long as I can make it a safe place for my husband and I…and perhaps a child or two,"

"It wouldn't be safe here for you to have children," Vincent agreed.

"And there you have my reason," Medea declared.

"And you really think that your dream can come true?"

Medea scowled. "Of course. Don't you think that yours can?"

"I don't know," Vincent admitted, "But I know it won't if I don't try. All I want is to see my son able to lead a normal life. It's what his mother would have wanted,"

"Don't you have any dreams for yourself?"

Vincent smiled slightly. "Just one. But until I can atone for my past sins, I don't think I'm ready to pursue it,"

Medea peered at the older man curiously.

"There's someone waiting for me back in Midgar," Vincent explained.

"I see,"

"Three more days, right?"

"Yes. Just three more days…"

* * *

A/N: Yeah, this was a short one. These last few chapters have been dedicated to character development, rather than plot advancement. That ends here.

Next: The gang begins their search for Jenova in Mideel.


	15. Ch 15: To Find A Fallen Angel

Chapter 15: To Find A Fallen Angel

Vincent stood in front of the group of twelve outside the house. Behind them, the old man and woman sat on the porch.

"Today is the day that we begin our journey, as a single group," Vincent addressed the crowd, "We may not like everyone we're working with, but through unforeseen circumstances, we've all wound up together in this anyway. I trust that no one's personal feelings will get in the way of what we need to do,"

Everyone looked around uncomfortably.

The sound of an engine could be heard in the distance. Looking up, Vincent saw a large airship making its way past the mountains.

"Least it's not that crazy-ass pilot again…" Barrett muttered.

Vincent smirked. "Don't get too excited, Barrett,"

"_Hey! Everyone- if I may have your goddamn attention, please!_" a familiar voice shouted over an intercom after a minute.

"Shit!" Barrett cursed.

"Hey, at least he can't run us over with that thing," Aeris pointed out.

"…_Since my prior appearance was not approved of, I will ask everyone to stay away from the open space until I land the damn airship! This, my friends, is The Highwind, designed by yours truly. You wanna board this ship, you follow my rules. The rules are: no brawls, no trashing the rooms, and if you're gonna puke, find a toilet or a wastebasket. Otherwise, you clean it up yourself. Anyone who has a problem with that, don't board the goddamned ship! This is your one and only warning!_"

"What's his problem?" Tifa wondered aloud.

Cloud shrugged.

"I think he's a riot!" Zack grinned, "This should be fun,"

"For once, I agree with soldier-boy," said Reno.

The airship slowly descended about a hundred feet away from the group. A ramp was then lowered to the ground.

"_Now hurry up and get your asses aboard!_"

The old couple waved goodbye as the ragtag group began to board The Highwind.

* * *

"And how is everyone else?" Vincent asked Elmyra over the phone as he sat in his cabin. 

"_We've all evacuated Midgar,_" Elmyra replied, "_Shears and Elfé each led the rest of us to safe hideouts,_"

"Good," Vincent said. "We can't take any chances on your getting caught. It was one thing to have Rufus as a prisoner, but there are also four other Shinra employees involved now. We can't be too careful,"

"_I understand. Good luck…and…be safe,_"

"…You too,"

Vincent hung up his PHS just as he heard a knock on the door. He opened it, revealing Rufus.

The young VP stepped inside and handed some sheets of paper over to Vincent. "Here are the latest documents on the Jenova sightings. Thank goodness we're finally somewhere that has a printer,"

Vincent looked at the documents. "Excellent,"

"I've also called the best inn down there and made reservations for everyone," Rufus added, "When will we be landing?"

"Cid says it should be about six hours," Vincent replied, "Do what you like until then,"

"That was my intention," Rufus told him.

"You must think you're something else if you can't be bothered to take orders," Vincent remarked.

"I guess we'll just have to see, won't we?" Rufus said as he walked away. _We'll see…if these people are the ones who can dispatch my father…then we can finally do things the right way…_

* * *

Jessie eyed the beer bottle carefully. Stepping back, she raised her arm and quickly brought it down. 

The tip of her leather bullwhip shot forward, effectively knocking the bottle off the concrete block she'd placed it on. Grinning, she gathered the whip and wrapped it into a coil.

_I'll clean up the mess when I'm all done…_

She went over to the empty six-pack, and grabbed another empty bottle. Placing it on the block, she stepped back a good ten feet and tried again. Like last time, the bottle was effortlessly knocked off the block, where it shattered into pieces.

"I certainly hope no one decides to wander this area barefooted,"

Jessie looked behind her to see Rufus standing there.

"So not only are you good with video games and electronics," he observed, "But you've also got impeccable aim with that thing,"

"And before you elaborate any further, I've heard all the dominatrix jokes," Jessie coldly informed him.

Rufus chuckled. "I'd like to think I'm more clever than that,"

"To be honest, I'm surprised," Jessie said as she wrapped up her whip and set it down. "I was prepared for us to have to tie you up and drag us with you. Yet, you seem perfectly happy to be coming along with us,"

"Happy may not be the right choice of words," Rufus told her, "But I do currently think that this may be in my best interests for now,"

Jessie grabbed a broom and dustpan from nearby and began to sweep up the broken shards. "Why?"

"Because the idea of having to deal with so much red tape back home to take care of Jenova gives me a headache," Rufus answered simply, "Things…actually seem to get done with you guys,"

"So why did you take the job as vice president of Shinra Inc.?" Jessie asked.

"I saw the lousy work so many executives did," Rufus told her, "I thought that if I were in a position of power, things might actually get done. I was wrong. Everything is so tangled that it's impossible to actually _do_ anything,"

"So why didn't you just quit and find something else to do with your life?" Jessie asked as she dumped the pieces into the trash.

"If executives could barely get the job done, then I didn't want to think of what regular people were like,"

"Well…now you're about to find out," said Jessie.

"I suppose," Rufus relented, "Well, I'm off. I need some sleep so I don't suffer from jetlag too much. I'd advise you to do the same,"

He walked away.

_Is it just me…or could it actually be a blessing that he's actually behaving like a team member and not a hostage?_

Jessie shook her head and walked back to the room she was sharing with Aeris and Tifa.

* * *

The large island of Mideel could be called a tropical paradise, if one were viewing a picture of its lush greenery and beautiful jungles, complete with exotic wildlife. 

Except actually being there was a completely different story. Vincent was tempted several times to fire his gun at the air if only to stop the endless complaints from the others of bug bites, animal droppings, and the intensely hot and humid weather.

Several layers of clothing had been shed by nearly all of the party members, including Rufus. Cloud had found himself holding his helmet over his lower abdomen after watching Tifa take off her leather vest and tie her hair back. Zack had spent the rest of the journey to town elbowing the mortified trooper knowingly.

Without a doubt, Cid had chosen the worst possible spot to drop them off. And he was now on his way back home in the air-conditioned cockpit.

Vincent barely managed to keep his patience in check for the hour-long hike into civilization. He was also thankful that Jessie's navigational device had come in handy, or else they might have been traveling through the steamy jungle for a lot longer. Either way, he could feel his already streaked hair turning greyer as he listened to the constant whining.

_And a middle-aged man like myself can tolerate this kind of travel. What's wrong with this picture?_

"Holy shit- we made it!" Reno shouted as the group approached a town.

The group erupted into a cheer, save for Vincent, Rufus and Tseng.

"About time!" Biggs exclaimed.

"Damn straight!" Barrett agreed.

Vincent turned to face the group. "Do what you like for now. But I want everyone to meet at the inn in an hour. Remember that, all of you,"

Jessie grabbed Biggs' arm. "Let's get some ice cream or something!"

"Oh, you said the magic word, little cousin!" Biggs said with a grin.

"You coming?" Jessie turned and addressed Aeris and Tifa.

"Right behind ya!" Tifa beamed, "Come on, Cloud!"

Vincent watched as everyone, save for Rufus, the Turks, and Medea, ended up following Biggs and Jessie in search of ice cream.

"Like little children," Medea chuckled.

"I'll go set things up at the inn," Rufus said before looking at the Turks. "Come on, you two. Afterward, we'll go find a bar and cool off the grown-up way,"

"Hah! That's what I'm talkin' about!" Reno exclaimed as the three walked away.

"I guess that leaves me to stock up on supplies," Vincent muttered.

"Do you need any help?" Medea inquired.

Vincent shook his head. "No. I'm sure you're hungry after such a long journey. Go do what you want. I'll take care of things for now,"

"If you say so," Medea bowed politely and left.

* * *

Aeris lay awake that night while Jessie and Tifa slept in their beds. It was a pattern she was beginning to notice. A lot had happened in one short day. Well, not really that short, as they'd been up with the sun, which was rather early for late July. 

The afternoon had been a blast once they'd reached town. They'd found an ice cream parlor like they'd hoped, and had all pigged out on either ice cream, milkshakes, or lemonade. Poor Biggs had suffered from brain-freeze on more than one occasion, with Jessie scolding him for not being more careful.

Cloud and Tifa had sat next to each other, seemingly in their own little world. It didn't look like they were going steady just yet, but Aeris couldn't help but smiling at seeing them together nonetheless. They really did make an adorable couple.

After meeting and discussing what to do next, Vincent once again dismissed the group until the evening.

Barrett and Sephiroth had eaten the most at the ice cream parlor, yet neither of the two men seemed to be suffering from their over-indulgence at all. In fact, three hours later, they had no trouble finishing off their dinner at the town's bar & grill.

Aeris, Tifa, Cloud, Zack, Jessie, and Biggs had decided to catch a movie playing at the local theater, only to a bad science fiction B-movie as the main feature. Since the run-down theater was nearly empty, the three spent the whole feature making jokes at the bad acting and special effects.

Rufus and Tseng showed up at the inn, carrying a sloshed Reno up to their room. The redhead had drunkenly insisted that he'd be fine the next morning.

Aeris had no idea where Vincent had gone to. She'd only found him sitting in the lobby when she returned to the inn for the second time. Medea had done the same disappearing act, and had turned up much later. When Aeris asked her why she was smiling, Medea spouted some nonsense about the kids being able to grow up in a quaint little town like this.

Too tired to comprehend the woman's non-sequiturs, she'd politely said goodnight, and went back to her room.

And here she lay, awake in the middle of the night, trying desperately to keep her thoughts of a certain surrogate brother of hers at bay.

_Maybe once I see Mama and Papa again, things will go back to the way they used to be…_

Not letting herself doubt that thought, she closed her eyes and tried once again to fall asleep.

It didn't work.

* * *

The next day had been the busiest any of the group had been in a while. All of them had gone about asking the residents about the woman known locally as "the angel lady". Rufus and Jessie stayed in their respective rooms, researching more sightings on the internet. 

"How convenient…" Reno had muttered.

He and Tseng had both noticed the vice president's growing impatience with their constant presence. Finally, he'd thrown them out of his room, insisting that they'd be better off helping from outside.

After a day of hitting nothing but dead ends, the group reconvened in Vincent's room.

"So, Rufus and I both noticed a pattern," Jessie announced, "The sightings vary each day, and from what we've put together, we've noticed Jenova heading in a southwesterly direction. Rufus has a theory that he has yet to share with any of us,"

She then looked at Rufus expectantly.

The VP pointed at Aeris. "You," he said, "Ancient,""My name is _Aeris!_" she snapped at him, "You could at least try to remember that!"

"Fine- _Aeris_," Rufus corrected himself, "What do you know about the Temple of the Ancients?"

The Cetra looked thoughtful. "From what I remember my mother telling me, it's not accessible without some kind of…keystone,"

Rufus raised an eyebrow. "Keystone?"

"Yeah- just a simple rock," Aeris explained, "But it's actually a key,"

"So how do we get our hands on that?" Biggs asked.

Aeris shrugged. "Don't look at me. I just know some of the story. Why are you even bringing up the temple?"

"The island to the west of Mideel is supposedly the location of said temple," said Rufus, "And well…it's rumored to house some ultimate destructive magical power. Not enough proof for my father to take any interest in, but at this point, I don't know what to believe in anymore. In any case, there's a chance she may be there. The rumors, and the direction she's gone, all point to that one place,"

Barrett shook his head. "That still doesn't explain how we're gonna get our hands on the keystone,"

Jessie's eyes twinkled. "I know a way…" she offered, "But…it could very well cost us a lot,"

Everyone immediately looked at Rufus.

"Oh, go to hell!" the rich young VP spat.

"Bear with me," Jessie began to type at her laptop, "I'm sure you're all familiar with the online auction site,"

"Do you think they might have one of those things on there?" Rufus asked.

"I'm sure they do," Jessie continued to type, "There's gotta be more than one of these things that was made. And one of them is bound to be on here. Anything rare usually is. Hah! Found one already!"

"That's our girl!" Barrett declared proudly.

Rufus peered over the girl's shoulder. "How do we know it's the real thing?"

"We don't," Jessie admitted, "But it's the only keystone that my search turned up. Honestly, I don't think we really have a choice. Bidding is currently at a hundred-thousand gil,"

"WHAT?!" nearly everyone exclaimed.

"And that's where his highness comes in," Jessie smiled sweetly at Rufus.

"You really think I'll just be able to withdraw that much money?" Rufus protested, "I'm sure that all my accounts are frozen in light of my disappearance,"

Vincent waved his hand dismissively. "Don't worry about it. Start bidding. I'll see about getting ourselves the money we need,"

"Just like that, eh?" Rufus looked at Vincent.

"I'll be back," Vincent left the room.

"Okay…" Jessie murmured as she typed, "We'll bid…one hundred-fifty thousand,"

"Whoa- are you sure that's a good idea?" Aeris asked worriedly, "We've only got so many…uh…financial connections,"

"Don't worry about spilling any beans in front of me, if that's what you're worried about," Rufus told her.

"Done!" Jessie declared, "The bidding ends tomorrow afternoon. Let's hope no one else bids too high until then…"


	16. Ch 16: The Temple Of The Ancients

Chapter 16: The Temple of the Ancients

Cid Highwind was beginning to regret having offered further services to Vincent Valentine. He hadn't minded picking the group up just a few days ago- they'd been fairly close to his hometown anyway.

But now Valentine had him fetching some trinket that some guy in Junon had found in Bone Village while on vacation. Cid had been given Avalanche's pin number in order to withdraw over two-hundred thousand gil, apparently the cost of that dinky stone he was now bringing over to Mideel.

Cid shook his head. He'd had no idea Avalanche was so loaded.

This time, he was on his way to the beach, where he would be picking the gang up. Then he'd be ferrying them over to that godforsaken island to the west. On top of _that_, he was expected to just sit in the airship until they were ready to leave!

_God, I must be a glutton for punishment…_

For approximately two thousand years, the island where the temple stood had been completely uninhabited, save for a few animals- mostly reptiles. While Mideel may have had harsh weather, the climate here was undeniably worse. It was understandable why no humans had ever settled here. One might wonder if the Cetra had had some kind of resilience to the extreme heat.

Seeing Aeris drenched in sweat and panting hard like everyone else effectively disproved that theory.

"We're almost there?" she asked weakly.

"I can see something peaking over the treetops," Sephiroth announced, "I think we're almost there!"

The group began murmuring in relief. Of the thirteen people, only Sephiroth and Medea seemed to be unaffected by the temperature, just like their hike through Mideel's jungles only a few days before. Everyone else was exhausted.

Sephiroth sighed. This was not the way they all should be before entering the temple, and possibly encountering Jenova. If they were to encounter her right now, would he and Medea be enough? To handle Jenova- sure. He had confidence in his abilities But to protect the others from her? That, he couldn't say.

Zack seemed to be faring slightly better than the others. Sephiroth watched with disdain as the soldier handed his canteen to Aeris, who gladly accepted a few sips of water.

The group reached a clearing. Before them stood a bridge, leading up to a large stone temple.

Aeris' eyes went wide. "This is it…" she whispered, "The Temple of the Ancients,"

Whatever fatigue she'd suffered before had suddenly vanished as she ran over to the center of the bridge.

"I know…" she said absently, "I feel it…the knowledge of the Ancients…the Cetra…floating…"

She lay down and pressed her ear to the ground.

"Weirdo…" Reno whispered in a sing-song voice.

Jessie elbowed him. "Shut up!"

"You could become one with the Planet," Aeris seemed to be speaking to someone, "But you're stopping it with the strength of your will. For the future? For us?"

"What are you saying?" Cloud asked as he walked over to the bridge, "Do you really understand?"

Aeris ignored him. She got up and made her way up the stairs. She shook her head confusedly. "You're uneasy…but happy? I don't understand…yes…wait- what do you mean by another one of us…? Yes…you know that they're not all evil. Medea has been good to us. She wants to help!"

Sephiroth strode across the bridge and stood at the bottom of the stairs. As tempted as he was to make sure Aeris was all right, he knew how irritable she'd get if anyone interrupted her conversations with the Planet, or her ancestors.

Aeris seemed to snap out of her trance, and looked around.

"Let's go inside!" she called out to Vincent.

Vincent nodded, and began to cross the bridge as well, the others trailing behind him.

* * *

"Words…feelings…" Aeris said, still a bit dazed, "So many of them here,"

After placing the keystone on an altar, the floor around it had descended to a large subterranean area. The thirteen members of the party had barely managed to squeeze together for the ride.

Barrett looked around at the maze that now stood in front of them. "This is making me dizzy,"

"No kidding…" said Biggs, "What the hell's with this place?"

Tifa looked worried. "Do you think we're welcome here?"

"Doesn't matter," Vincent stated, "No exits from here. We can't turn back now,"

"And Highwind was actually complaining about having to stay behind…" Rufus muttered.

"Guys!" Aeris addressed the group, "I know it's going to be tough, but don't lose hope now! We can do it!"

Somehow, something about the teen's enthusiasm seemed to perk everyone up a little. At any rate, it was much cooler down here than it was up there. The party's morale was slowly returning.

"Nyum, nyum,"

Everyone looked down to see a little man clad in purple robes and a matching pointed hat staring curiously at them.

"Hey- wait!" Aeris called.

The little man turned and fled.

"We'll follow him," Vincent announced, "Let's go!"

The party traveled down and up several sets of stairs, twisting around everywhere. A few times, they tried to enter a couple of tunnels, only to encounter an invisible seal.

"God, that sounds awful!" Cloud cringed at the noise that the barrier emitted.

"Nyum, nyum,"

"Over there!" Jessie pointed at the room he'd disappeared into.

They followed the little man into a chamber.

"Whew!" Aeris exclaimed as she went up to the man, "We finally caught up to you!"

The little man stared at her. Aeris stared back, as if listening to him speak.

"You waited for me…?" Aeris then turned to face the group. "He's one of the spirit bodies of the Cetra. They've been away from their home for a long time to protect this temple. Over many years, they'd lost the ability to talk…not that they really needed words anyway,"

"Do they know if Jenova has been here?" Sephiroth asked.

Aeris turned to the Spirit Body. "Please talk to me. You seem afraid. Is it because Sephiroth is in this temple? Or someone else…?"

"Nyum, nyum!" the little man droned as he motioned for the others to follow.

He led them into a dark hallway. Near the end stood a small glowing pool. Aeris dashed over to it.

"It's full of the knowledge of the Cetra," Aeris said absently. "Or no…it's more like…the living soul…all of my ancestors…trying to say something. But I don't understand. I'm sorry, I don't understand! …What? What is it?"

Sephiroth had grabbed her shoulder, afraid she might fall in and disappear.

"Danger? An evil…consciousness? No, you can't just give me that and then say nothing! We need to know! If there's so much danger, then can't you just give it to me straight?! ANSWER ME!!!"

"Aeris!" Sephiroth shook the girl by her shoulders, "Calm down!"

The Cetra looked worriedly at Sephiroth. "Is this what I have to look forward to in death? Am I going to become part of some inarticulate, collective consciousness that can't even express itself properly? Is _that_ what the Promised Land is supposed to be?!"

"Take it easy," Sephiroth soothed her, "I think those people were different. You remember Mom's stories about the fallen warriors, right? Perhaps that's them. Besides…you have to _live_ first before you can worry about dying,"

"That's all very nice," Rufus yawned, "But can we get going now?"

"C'mon, Aeris," Jessie ignored Rufus' rudeness. She stepped forward and touched her friend's arm, grinning. "We're not done yet. You can have your existential crisis _after _we're done here,"

Aeris giggled softly.

"Jenova's got to be here," Sephiroth said as he looked around warily, "There's no other threat that could make the Planet so uneasy,"

Aeris nodded. "You're right,"

Sephiroth's eyes narrowed. "No matter what she thinks…this ends here,"

"Damn straight!" Barrett yelled.

"Nyum, nyum!" The Spirit Body hopped up and down impatiently.

"Oh, sorry!" Aeris apologized, "Where to now?"

The little man pointed at a doorway at the end of the hall.

"Of course," Aeris said sheepishly, "That's the only way we can go,"

The party continued down the hallway.

"I hope Jenova will go down easily with all of us here," Tifa whispered to Cloud.

* * *

"I'm…so tired…" Cloud groaned as the group emerged from another maze.

Aeris turned to smile at the boy. "Just hang in there," she said, punching his arm playfully. "Someday, we'll look back at these hard times and laugh,"

A sudden, inexplicable feeling of dread came over Sephiroth upon hearing those words.

"Nice artwork," Biggs commented.

The room they now stood in was covered in murals. Sephiroth found himself looking at them. They seemed to tell a story. A ceremony in the temple that ended up with everyone dying in flames. The most jarring of it was the picture of a woman holding a black orb, resembling materia, while what looked like a giant comet or meteor fell behind her.

_So cold…their treatment of it all…_

Sephiroth looked around, alarmed.

_It will only be the same for you…fortunately…I am always by your side._

"Is that supposed to comfort me?" Sephiroth asked aloud.

"Uh…Seph?" Barrett said slowly, "Who're you talking to?"

_Look at the mural, my son._

"I am not your son!!"

_Behold the ultimate destructive magic…Meteor. I must thank you for using the keystone. Now…we can become one with the Planet…you can take the girl with you…she's yours…no one else's. Once we're one with the Planet, you'll have her all to yourself._

"And how do you intend to become 'one with the planet'?" Sephiroth asked sarcastically.

_The Planet will gather spirit energy to heal itself when injured. The greater the wound, the greater the amount used. Now…let's say that the injury was…life-threatening? The energy gathered would be beyond comprehension._

_And at the center of it…you and me. Melding with the Planet, we'd cease to exist as we are now…only to be reborn anew, as a goddess…and her son. A god, Sephiroth. You could rule over every soul…and take the one of the girl…to rule at your side._

"Yeah, the 'new enlightened race' of Cetra, Seraph and human!" Sephiroth snarled, "I've heard it all before!"

Aeris scowled. "New race?"

Sephiroth ignored his slip and continued to glare around him.

"An injury powerful enough to destroy the Planet…?" Medea frowned, "This is bad…so much worse than I thought,"

"What the hell is going on, woman?" Rufus demanded to know.

"There's a black materia orb in here," Medea explained to everyone else, "We can't let Jenova get her hands on it,"

While Medea continued to explain to the rest of the group, Sephiroth continued his conversation with Jenova.

_You're afraid. Of what? It has to do with the girl. You say she's too young. By whose standards? By the _human_ standards? Humans may have their usefulness, but their reasoning is flawed. One smooth-talking person sets a precedent, that the others blindly follow. Are those the standards you should adhere to? She is younger than you…but she's physically mature. See how devoted she's always been to you! She follows you unquestioningly. She adores you! What would happen if you decided to climb into her bed tonight?_

"NO!!!" Sephiroth screamed suddenly, "DON'T GET HER INVOLVED!!!"

"Sephiroth!!" Aeris ran over to the swordsman, "Please! Get a hold of yourself!"

"Calm down and focus on the wall!" Medea ordered him, "You can block her thoughts as well as your own! Focus!"

The silver-haired man sank to his knees, covering his ears. After a few minutes, his breathing returned to normal.

"I'm…sorry," he whispered.

Aeris smiled down at him. "Don't worry about it,"

She helped him to his feet, where he looked at everyone else staring confusedly at him.

"It's nothing!" Aeris told the crowd pointedly, "He's fine now,"

"If you say so," Zack shrugged.

The party murmured uneasily.

"Jenova's presence is gone," Medea announced.

Aeris threw her arms around Sephiroth. "You'll be okay…" she whispered, "I know you will. You're not Jenova…"

"But…" Sephiroth hesitated, and then shook his head. "You're right- I'm fine,"

Vincent stepped forward. "Now that we know our mission, we should keep going,"

"But there's no other way out," said Jessie.

"Look!" Biggs pointed at an altar in the corner of the room.

They hurried over to it. A small object resembling the temple itself stood in the center.

"Is that it?" Rufus asked.

Biggs scowled. "There's something written on it,"

Vincent frowned. "I can't read the script,"

"Let me try…" Aeris squeezed past the others, "My mother taught me when I was learning to read the regular alphabet. Let's see…bu…ra…ku…ma…te…ri…ya. Black materia! It _is_ the black materia! It's right here!"

Biggs laughed. "Jenova must be _really_ out of it! It was right in front of her and she didn't even do anything!"

"Could there be some kind of trap?" Rufus suggested, "After all, if this thing can destroy the world, the Ancients wouldn't have just left it there for any idiot to use,"

"He's right," Vincent agreed.

"Maybe I can try asking…" Aeris suggested.

She moved away from the others.

"…What?" she asked loudly. "…Really?!"

"What is it?" Zack asked.

"Don't interrupt her," Sephiroth said sharply.

After a minute, Aeris turned around to face the group. "They said that the temple itself…is the black materia,"

"What?" Tifa scowled.

"This whole building is the black materia," Aeris explained, "You see, this is a model of the Temple. And inside it is a device which gets smaller each time you solve a puzzle. As the model becomes smaller, the temple will become smaller too. Until it's small enough to fit in the palm of your hand,"

"Then if we solve the puzzles, the temple will shrink?" Jessie asked, "That doesn't sound so bad. Let's grab it and get the hell outta here!"

Aeris shook her head. "It's not that simple. You can only solve the puzzle _inside_ the temple. Meaning…anyone who solves the puzzle will be crushed by the temple,"

"Shit…" Barrett whispered.

"No wonder Jenova left it alone for now," Vincent sighed.

"Nyum, nyum!"

Everyone turned to see the Spirit Body standing in the doorway. He then trotted over to the altar. "Nyum, nyum!"

"What's he saying?" Tifa asked.

Aeris' eyes widened. "I can't let you do that!"

"Nyum, nyum!" the little man said stubbornly.

The Cetra was visibly upset. "He says he trusts us…and knows…that the black materia will be safer in our hands…he offered to give it to us…but he'd get killed!"

"Nyum, nyum!" the little man reached out and took her hand.

Aeris sniffled and forced a smile. "…Well…if you're sure…then I can't convince you otherwise, can I?"

The Spirit Body let go and waved his arms at the party, as if shooing them outside.

"Let's go!" Aeris exclaimed as she ran toward the door.

The others quickly followed.

_May you find the Promised Land soon, little friend…_Aeris thought as she hastily wiped her eyes.

* * *

"Do you think it's safe now?"

The group had barely made it out of the temple in one piece. Not only had the temple itself been a trap, but the solving of the puzzles had released a few monsters as well, delaying their escape. Rufus had suffered a few bad injuries during the commotion, but they were not life-threatening. Aside from a couple cuts and bruises, everyone else seemed fine.

Vincent had ordered everyone back on the airship, save for himself, Sephiroth, Aeris, and Medea. The four had watched the temple shrink until the commotion finally stopped.

Vincent looked at his son and nodded. "I'll stay here and keep a lookout,"

"As will I," Medea said.

"Let's go, then!" Aeris dashed over to the edge of what was now a large hole, and began to climb down. Her initial grief over the Spirit Body's sacrifice had faded after hearing its voice reassure her one last time as they watched the temple collapse.

Sephiroth followed her, jumping into the pit rather than climbing down.

"Show-off," Aeris joked as she reached the bottom.

Sephiroth noticed a black orb lying in the dirt. He went over and picked it up.

"We did it!" Aeris cheered, "Now we just need to corner Jenova in the flesh, and she's done for!"

"Can't you just use that to fry her?" Sephiroth asked.

"No…" Aeris said as she gazed at the small round object, "Not here…more like…a place where there's a lot of spiritual energy,"

"So you need spiritual energy, to conjure up more spiritual energy," Sephiroth murmured, "That sounds like a catch-22,"

"Not really," Aeris told him, "There is one place where there's enough energy emanating from the Planet. It's the place Shinra would probably refer to as the 'promised land',"

"As in…" Sephiroth looked at her.

"The place where Jenova landed," Aeris finished, "Beyond the Ancient city, there's the Northern Crater. Mama told me about it years ago,"

"So we lure her over there and fight her with this," Sephiroth concluded, "You're brilliant, Aeris,"

The teen looked away, slightly embarrassed by the praise.

_Who is luring whom?_

Sephiroth's head jerked up at the sound of Jenova's voice in his mind again.

_I don't want to have to be so pushy, but you leave me no choice…wake up, my son._

Sephiroth fell to his knees.

_Don't be afraid…_

Aeris' concerned words fell on deaf ears, along with Medea's desperate pleas.

Jenova quickly flew into the pit, seemingly out of nowhere.

Vincent took out his gun.

Aeris drew her sword.

Sephiroth got to his feet, and with a yell, threw the orb at Jenova with all of his might.

_Such a willful boy…_Jenova sneered as she caught the orb as if it were a baseball. _But well done. I will see you soon. You already know where._

She then shot up into the air and flew off.

Medea closed her eyes, and flew up into the air as well. However, Jenova was already out of sight. The woman hovered in the sky, cursing herself for being so out of shape compared to the madwoman they were chasing after.

"I…gave it to Jenova…" Sephiroth whispered, "I just…handed the lives of the entire world to Jenova…!"

"Please…" Aeris pleaded, "Be strong, Sephy!"

"What have I done?!" Sephiroth drew his sword and began slashing wildly at the air.

"It's not your fault!" Aeris insisted.

"I…" Sephiroth suddenly turned around and slashed at Aeris. With a cry of surprise, the girl ducked and rolled out of the way, leaping back to her feet.

"Damn!" Vincent cursed as he began climbing down the edge of the pit. Aeris may have been a skilled swordswoman, but it was her agility that made her good- not her strength. There was no way she would be able to block Sephiroth's incredibly powerful attacks.

"Stop it, big brother!" Aeris cried as she kept dodging his sword.

Her words only seemed to make him even more agitated. He swung his sword one more time. Aeris dodged, but part of her shirt became caught on the tip of the blade. Rolling away, nonetheless, Aeris quickly got up again to notice a large tear across the top of her shirt.

Sephiroth noticed it as well, and tossed his sword away, moving to grab at what the tear had exposed.

_Yes…take her now! Give her something to look forward to when she becomes part of that spirit energy!_

"SLEEPEL!!!!"

Sephiroth faltered, stumbling for a few seconds, before he toppled over.

Medea descended into the pit. "What happened?!"

Vincent popped a materia orb out of his gun. "He went completely berserk and attacked Aeris,"

"I'm fine…" Aeris said shakily. She then noticed the tear in her shirt, and covered herself with her arms, mortified.

_Idiot!_ Medea silently berated herself for not paying attention to the situation below. She unfastened her cloak, and tossed it to Aeris.

"Thanks," Aeris wrapped the brown fabric around her shoulders and clutched the top part together with one hand. How Medea had been able to stand the heat in that thing was beyond her, but at least it kept her covered.

"Let me help," Vincent held out his hand to the girl.

"I'm fine!" Aeris insisted impatiently as she began to climb out.

Medea sighed. "I suppose we should get him out of here…"


	17. Ch 17: Tough Choices

Chapter 17: Tough Choices

"Ungh…"

Jessie looked up from her game as she saw Rufus shuffling down the corridor inside the Highwind.

"Hey- you shouldn't be up!" the computer guru exclaimed as she turned off her game and went over to the vice president.

"Aeris healed me," Rufus said weakly, "I'm just tired…but I needed some water,"

"Then sit here," Jessie directed him to the chair she had been sitting in, "Where's your two lackeys?"

"Got sick of seeing their faces all the time," Rufus told her, "When I'm at home, I can just hang around my suite, and they're outside, not bothering me at all. It's a little different here. I told them to get lost and let me sleep,"

"I'll go find you some water," Jessie said.

"Why?"

"Because like it or not, you're actually a big help. We'd have never found the temple if it wasn't for you,"

"And then Jenova wouldn't have ended up with the materia," Rufus muttered.

"We can still track her down," Jessie argued, "Point is, we know where she's headed. Once we find her, we'll deal with her before she can do anything stupid. She's probably gonna hold off until she sees Sephiroth again,"

Rufus sighed. "So the great swordsman has been reduced to the status of bait, huh?"

"Can't you just keep a lid on it for once?" Jessie groaned, "What if Aeris heard that joke? She's been in a funk since she returned,"

"What exactly is it between those two?" Rufus inquired, "She calls him 'big brother', but acts like he's her handsome prince or something,"

"It's…oh, how should I say? Oh yeah: none of your business,"

"Clever," Rufus chuckled, "You've got quite the cutting wit,"

Jessie rolled her eyes. "Such a compliment from the master himself. Do you want the water or not?"

"Yes, please,"

Jessie walked away, muttering something under her breath.

_So she thinks I'm a big help, eh? I guess her appraisal of me has a little more value than most others'. Hmm…I wonder what game she was playing…?_

* * *

_Give her something to look forward to when she becomes part of that spirit energy!_

Sephiroth cringed at the memory of those words. He remembered everything he'd done. He also realized exactly what Jenova meant by him and Aeris being 'together'. Just as he'd left his mind open for her to plunder, she'd also allowed him a glimpse into her mind.

She wanted him to kill Aeris, for the purpose of adding more power to the lifestream, but not before torturing her while she was still alive. Her ideas were not that of him romancing the girl. She wanted to see Aeris in pain- physical and emotional. After all…she was the last descendant of the people who'd sealed her for so many years.

And he'd almost done it. The sight of her exposed flesh had nearly made him do the unthinkable.

_Thank the Planet Vincent got to me before I…_

A soft knock at the door interrupted his thoughts. "Who is it?" he called.

"It's me," Aeris said softly, "Can I come in?"

"No," Sephiroth said, much harsher than he'd meant to, "I mean…please don't. I…don't deserve to even look at you,"

He could hear her sigh. "Seph, cut the melodrama,"

"Like I cut that hole in your shirt?"

"Don't worry about it. You taught me well. Think of it as the ultimate test from the master. Hey, if a simple wannabe flower merchant can dodge your blows, then you've done your job,"

"……"

"Or better yet- maybe it'll catch on as a new style- those ripped shirts. Oh, it'll be all the rage by next spring!"

"I can't believe you're actually making jokes,"

"What else is there to do right now?"

"I don't know. I…can't help what I do when I'm around that…_thing!_"

"….Well…then maybe you _should_ worry about it. And let me handle Meteor,"

Sephiroth snorted. "You'll handle Meteor? Going to fly into the air and push it back into space?"

"I'm just saying that you should take care of yourself…so you don't have a nervous breakdown, okay?"

Sephiroth laughed bitterly. "So now little Aeris is fussing over me, afraid I'll go crazy. This day just keeps getting better and better,"

"Seph…"

"Please…just leave me alone," Sephiroth pleaded.

Silence. "…All right. Just remember…it's Jenova that I despise. Not you,"

He could hear her walking away. Sephiroth closed his eyes and tried to sleep.

* * *

"And I thought Gongaga was in the middle of nowhere…"

Rufus looked around the area disdainfully. It looked like a simple backwater community. The "architecture" consisted of houses half built into the sides of the canyon. Looking at his PHS, he could barely get a signal.

Cid had insisted on stopping at Cosmo Canyon to refuel. Vincent had agreed, seeing as the rations were low. Thus, the Avalanche/Shinra/Tifa alliance was granted another afternoon off.

"Worried that you'll break another nail?" Jessie asked, a smirk on her face.

Rufus ignored her teasing. "No wonder the old man stays away from here,"

"Yeah," Aeris butted in acidly, "Three of the most peaceful years of my life were spent here as a result. Hmm, imagine that!"

"Whatever," Rufus walked away.

Jessie stared at her friend, a bit confused. "Okay, see…usually _I'm _the crabby one, and you're little miss sunshine. What's up with the heavy sarcasm?"

"I…" Aeris trailed off and sighed. "I just need to get my head straight,"

"Let's go get something to eat," Jessie suggested, "Then Zack will randomly bump into us, like he seems to be doing a lot,"

"Huh?"

Jessie shook her head, exasperated. "Are you even listening to me?"

"Something about Zack and food?"

Jessie looked around to make sure the soldier wasn't in earshot. He was making his way up a long set of stairs with Cloud tagging behind him.

She turned and looked at Aeris. "Zack is totally into you. Haven't you noticed?"

"…Wait- noticed what?"

"Oh, forget it!" Jessie walked away annoyed.

Aeris sighed. No one had told the others about the specific reason why Jenova had the black materia. As far as they were concerned, the insane Seraph had swooped in at the last minute and made off with the dangerous orb. No one knew about Sephiroth having attacked Aeris.

Sighing, Aeris decided to look for somewhere that she could be alone with her thoughts.

* * *

Rufus stood in the modest observatory he'd stumbled upon, staring warily at the large cat-like beast before him. Behind it, the chief elder of Cosmo Canyon stood, watching Rufus amusedly.

"He's not gonna maul me…is he?" Rufus asked the elderly man.

"Why don't you ask _me _instead?" the beast spoke, "I'm not deaf, you know,"

Rufus jumped back, startled. "My god, you can talk?? What the hell are you?!"

"I am what you see," the large feline replied calmly, "My tribe were protectors of those who appreciate this beautiful canyon, and the Planet,"

"Ho, ho!" the chief elder chuckled, "Welcome to Cosmo Canyon, Rufus Shinra. My name is Bugenhagen, and this is, for all practical purposes, my grandson Nanaki,"

"Grandfather, aren't the Shinra supposed to be trouble?" Nanaki nudged the old man's knee with his nose.

"Don't worry," Rufus said, "I'm just passing through. I should be gone by tonight,"

"You're traveling with Avalanche, are you not?" Bugenhagen asked.

Rufus folded his arms. "How did you know?"

"I'm rather friendly with Avalanche," Bugenhagen answered, "I'm aware of some of their activities. Do you, by any chance, know a little girl named Aeris?"

"I know a girl named Aeris, but she's not that little," Rufus answered.

"Oh! Ho, hooo!" Bugenhagen laughed, "You're right. The last time I saw her, she was only ten years old. She'd be a young woman now,"

Nanaki's ears perked up. "Is Aeris here?"

Rufus shrugged. "She's mucking about somewhere,"

"I'm going to go find her!" Nanaki announced as he bounded out of the room.

"Ho, ho, hoo…young people," Bugenhagen chuckled, "Though you would know, wouldn't you? How old are you?"

"Twenty-three," Rufus answered.

The elder nodded. "Old enough to stand on your own. But I'm sure you've been trying to do that for a long time,"

"Maybe," Rufus said defensively, "I've always been considered smart for my age,"

"Intelligence and maturity are two different things," Bugenhagen pointed out. "Take Nanaki, for example. His intellect is astounding. But in his years, he's only about fourteen or fifteen years old. But he yearns to be an adult. I've told him, though. To try and stand on your own before you're ready…it will destroy you in the long run. Ambition is fine. But if you don't look down from the stars once in a while, you begin to lose perspective. And when it's time for this planet to die, you'd find that you really knew nothing at all,"

Rufus looked bored. "Is this supposed to be a 'modern' philosophical discussion where you tell me I can never truly 'know' anything? Because I don't have time for such nonsense,"

"Ho, ho! No, nothing so pretentious as that. I'm talking about _you_ specifically. You're intelligent in the problem-solving sense. I can tell right away. But you lack wisdom. Understandable- wisdom and youth do not go together,"

"What was that last part about the Planet dying?" Rufus asked.

Bugenhagen sighed. "It may be tomorrow, or a hundred years from now. But it's not far off,"

"And you know this, how?" Rufus asked skeptically.

"I hear the cries of the Planet," Bugenhagen replied.

"So…you're an Ancient too? How many of those are still around?"

"Ho! No- nothing so fantastic as that. Ah, that poor girl…I'm sure she'd have been delighted to know another one of her kind…so lonely, she must be,"

"So how do you hear the Planet then?" Rufus asked.

A throbbing noise could be heard. Rufus traced the sound to a giant contraption in the room.

"Stand over there…" Bugenhagen pointed to the center of the room.

Rufus obeyed, and the elder pulled a switch. The lights in the room dimmed, and a holographic image of the solar system appeared around the young executive.

"Impressive," Rufus commented.

Bugenhagen's eyes twinkled. "Yes, it is something, isn't it? Aeris' father built this machine over twenty years ago. Anyway- let's get to the subject. And I know you're clearly the impatient type, so please, bear with me, and don't interrupt,"

He cleared his throat and began to speak:

"Eventually... all humans die. What happens to them after they die? The body decomposes, and returns to the Planet. That much everyone knows. What about their consciousness, their hearts and their souls? The soul too returns to the Planet. And not only those of humans, but everything on this Planet. In fact, all living things in the universe, are the same.

"The spirits that return to the Planet, merge with one another and roam the Planet. They roam, converge, and divide, becoming a swell, called the 'Lifestream',"

He paused briefly, and continued:

"Lifestream... In other words, a path of energy of the souls roaming the Planet. 'Spirit Energy' is a word that you should never forget. A new life...children are blessed with Spirit energy and are brought into the world. Then, the time comes when they die and once again return to the Planet. Of course there are exceptions, but this is the way of the world. I've digressed, but you'll understand better if you watch this…"

Rufus watched as a figure of a child appeared on the model of the Planet. The figure grew to the shape of a grown man, then shriveled up slightly, hunching over. Finally, the man dissipated into what looked like the tendrils of the Lifestream. The tendrils spread out, and a tree emerged on one spot. Eventually, it dissipated as well. Another human rose and fell, until the entire Planet was covered in the Lifestream.

"Spirit energy makes all things possible: trees, birds, and humans. Not even that, but spirit energy makes it possible for the Planet itself to exist. What if that energy were to disappear?"

Rufus saw the Lifestream leave the Planet. The model turned black, and crumbled into nothing.

"These are the basics of the study of Planet life," Bugenhagen finished as he turned off the machine.

Rufus squinted as the lights came back on. "So…the old man…and my grandfather…they _really_ screwed up, didn't they?"

"Ho hoo! You said it…I did not,"

"If spirit energy is lost," Rufus said thoughtfully, "Our world is destroyed…"

"Every day, mako reactors suck up the spirit energy, diminishing it without replacing it. The energy gets compressed in the reactors, and processed into mako energy,"

"In other words, mako energy will only destroy the Planet," Rufus concluded. "No wonder my father stayed away from here. Heaven forbid that he be forced to listen to the truth…"

Bugenhagen scratched his head. "You have a lot of power, Rufus Shinra. Would you be the one who finally uses it for good…?"

Rufus stared at the floor. This revelation was…troubling, at best. This changed a lot. He would succeed the old man no matter what. But would he even have enough time left to do that?

"I need some time to think about this…" Rufus whispered as he headed for the door. He stopped briefly and turned his head slightly. "Thank you, Bugenhagen…"

The chief elder sighed as Rufus closed the door behind him.

_So much on that boy's shoulders,_ Bugenhagen thought, _I hope he does the right thing…_

* * *

The image her ancestors had sent her at the temple was still fresh in her mind. The Sleeping Forest…leading to the Ancient city. Aeris remembered her father promising to take her and Sephiroth to see the old city.

Her belongings were still in her duffel bag on the airship. She had her sword. Everything was ready.

She hated the idea of making everyone worry. Jessie, Zack, Tifa…not to mention Vincent, and most of all, Sephiroth.

_It's only a matter of time before Jenova summons Meteor. I have no choice. Only a survivor of the Cetra like me can stop it._

She recalled the other image they'd left her with: the white materia.

_Mama…you were entrusted with something so great like this…_Aeris thought as she rolled the white orb between her fingers. _Now the burden rests on me…_

Tucking the orb into her hair ribbon, she then heaved a sigh as she turned to go back to the airship. Hopefully Sephiroth wouldn't notice her trying to slip away.

"Aeris!"

She turned around to see Nanaki running toward her. Forgetting her monstrous task for a moment, she broke into a huge grin.

"Nanaki!" she exclaimed as she knelt down and threw her arms around the red beast's neck.

He nuzzled her face. "It's been too long!"

"I know!" she exclaimed, "I meant to stop by a few weeks ago, but my chocobo and I ended up getting a ride straight to Costa Del Sol,"

"Where's Sephiroth?" he asked, "You never went anywhere without him watching over you,"

Aeris' expression quickly sobered.

Nanaki's ears lowered slightly. "Did…something happen to Sephiroth?"

"Oh- nothing like that!" Aeris exclaimed as she shook her head, "No, he's been traveling with me and a bunch of other people. But he's…not well. He's back on the airship we came on, and he won't see anyone right now,"

"Oh," Nanaki looked disappointed. "How long are you planning to stay?"

"Not long, unfortunately," Aeris confessed, "I'm heading up north soon. Hey, I'm sorry I haven't written in a while. I'll be sure to keep in touch this time,"

"You promise?"

Aeris smiled and stood up. "Of course. But in the meantime, let's go for a walk,"

Nanaki nuzzled the girl's leg. "I'd love that,"

* * *

Sephiroth awoke to hear an argument going on outside his cabin. Looking out the window, he saw it was dark already. They would probably be heading off soon. That was not a pleasant thought.

Listening carefully, he could make out Rufus' angry voice, and Vincent's calm but firm arguments.

He got to his feet and headed for the door, preparing to tell the two of them to take it somewhere else.

"I'm telling you that we don't have time!" he heard Rufus yelling as he opened the door.

"Until we find her, we're not going anywhere," Vincent replied coolly.

"Jenova isn't going to wait for Aeris!" Rufus shouted.

"What's going on?" Sephiroth asked.

"Aeris is gone," Vincent told him, "We checked her room, and her things are gone,"

"What?!" Sephiroth exclaimed, "When did this happen? Where is she?"

"We don't know," Rufus answered sourly, "No one knows,"

Sephiroth closed his eyes and brought his hand to his head. "I don't believe this…" he groaned, "How long has she been gone?"

"Nobody's seen her for the past couple hours," said Rufus, "That big red cat, Nanny-something, was the last to see her,"

"Nanaki?" Sephiroth didn't wait to hear the rest. He turned and headed for the ship's exit.

* * *

When he came back almost an hour later, everyone else was on the ship.

Nanaki had been rather frightened of Sephiroth's intense interrogation. The feline creature had spent a little time with Aeris before she announced that she had to leave now. But that hadn't been good enough for the silver-haired swordsman, and he'd demanded further answers that his old acquaintance couldn't give.

He'd felt bad for treating Nanaki that way, and managed to apologize before leaving.

_I seem to be apologizing a lot these days._

Frustrated, he returned to his cabin. Upon stepping inside, he nearly slipped on something. Looking down, he saw it was a small piece of paper. Wondering how long it had been there, he picked it up. His eyes widened as he recognized Aeris' handwriting.

_I'll be going now,_ the note read. _I'll come back when it's all over._


	18. Ch 18: Holy Warrior

Chapter 18: Holy Warrior

Aeris sat quietly in the back of an old truck, watching the scenery pass her by.

"I have to admit," the driver said to her, "I don't pick up many girls about your age. Then again, I don't see many girls carrying a sword around. You're probably safer than the average female hitchhiker…if you really know how to use that thing,"

"I normally wouldn't do something so extreme," Aeris admitted, "But this is kind of an emergency,"

"Where are you headed after you reach Costa Del Sol?"

"To save the world," Aeris giggled. It was true, after all. Still, saying it out loud never failed to amuse her.

The driver chuckled. "Gonna go blow up the Shinra building, then?"

Aeris laughed nervously. "No, nothing quite so drastic as that. Just need to speak with…some distant relatives of mine. They're gonna help me out, and I need to…well, meet them at a certain place,"

It was, in essence, the truth. Aeris knew her ancestors would be able to speak to her easily in the former capital of her people. The temple was the first time she could hear them above the murmur they had always been in the past. And even then, all she could make out were various riddles and hints.

"I see…" the man said, "Well, just hang tight. We'll be at the docks in a couple hours…"

* * *

"Is this really the right thing to do?" Jessie asked Vincent as they stood on the deck of the Highwind. 

"I'm only going with what Sephiroth said," Vincent told her, "He's sure that he can track Aeris down on his own. If we can do our part and eventually meet the two of them at the Northern Crater, then so be it,"

Jessie shook her head. "What the hell was she thinking? I mean, I know she was down about Jenova getting the black materia, but the insane idea of stopping Meteor by herself? I know she's got special powers and all, but there's no way she can go up against Jenova herself,"

"According to Sephiroth before he left, she didn't say anything about facing Jenova," said Vincent, "She only mentioned Meteor,"  
"Still…" Jessie looked worried. "I don't like this. Our strongest fighter and our best healer are both missing. If we didn't still have Medea with us, I wouldn't know what to think,"

"As it is, Medea was not happy about Sephiroth's decision to go off on his own," Vincent recalled.

"I know. Was the first time I ever saw her get pissed about anything. So what's next?"

"We should be reaching the city in half a day," Vincent told her, "I'd suggest you get some rest in the meantime,"

* * *

Costa Del Sol was typically a lively resort, especially in the winter. The same could not be said for the city in late July. The already unbearable weather had been made worse by a prolonged heat wave. 

Aeris groaned uncomfortably as she noticed the chair she sat in on the beach was beginning to stick to her. Had she the time and the money, she would be sitting inside an air-conditioned hotel room, instead of sweating it out on a lawn chair in the shade on the beach. However, she only had a couple of hours before the boat heading to the shores near Bone Village was set to depart.

Stealth had, over time, become one of Aeris' stronger points, thanks to Sephiroth's teachings. She was confident that she would be able to stow away without any problems. Even if she was found, who would toss a pretty girl off a boat?

Aeris stood up, noting that her arms and legs now had red lines on them from peeling herself off the vinyl.

_Maybe I'll get some lemonade or something…_

She was about to head back to the main part of town when she felt a hand grab the back of her shirt, stopping her.

Aeris' fighting instincts came alive instantly. She grabbed the hand, preparing to twist it behind her assailant's back and pin them to the ground. However, the person had anticipated that somehow, grabbing her arm with the other hand, and spinning her around to face…

"Sephiroth?"

The silver-haired warrior glared at her before releasing her. "You've got a lot of nerve to disrupt everyone's plans, _and _make them worry about you,"

"How did you find me?" Aeris asked.

"The only way you could possibly get to where I think you're going, is to get on a boat coming from here. Which reminds me: how did you intend to pay for a ticket to the Northern Continent?"

Aeris looked away.

"Brilliant, Aeris," Sephiroth said sarcastically, "So you were going to stow away on some ship? And what if one of the workers found you and threw you overboard!"

"Oh, they'd never do something like that to cute little old me," Aeris giggled.

"Hmm…you're probably right," Sephiroth deadpanned, "They'd just drag you to the boiler room and have their way with you right then and there. That's what being 'cute' will get you. Can you fend off ten lecherous sailors?"

"I've got a sword!"  
"So would they…" Sephiroth muttered.

"Do you have to be so graphic?"

"Do you have to be so naïve?"

"You sound like Jessie," Aeris grumbled.

"Your recklessness will get you into trouble…" Sephiroth sighed.

Aeris turned away and looked at her feet. "So are you going to keep me here until the others show up?"

"No,"

Aeris looked up at Sephiroth, surprised.

"You may be reckless, but you don't act without good reason," Sephiroth admitted, "So why don't we go get a drink, and you can tell me all about your crazy scheme,"

Aeris clapped her hands delightedly. "You're the best, Sephy! I'd hug you, but I might die from the heat. Let's go!"

* * *

"White Materia?" 

Aeris swallowed the last of her frozen drink and nodded. "Yeah. I could see it clearly. They tend to communicate through visual images,"

"And this white materia is…?"

She popped her mother's orb out of its holding place in her hair ribbon. "That's what they showed me. Good for nothing…hah. Good for nothing ordinary, maybe. This isn't meant to be used except for the most dire of circumstances. I'd imagine that long ago, people of absolute authority were charged with keeping this safe. But, I'm the only one left now, so I suppose it'll have to make do with me,"

Sephiroth raised an eyebrow. "And you would have taken it on all by yourself? You should at least have told the others. They would have been glad to protect you on your journey. It's right on the way to the northern crater,"

"I don't think so," said Aeris, "Would they have taken a claim that I can stop Meteor seriously? You didn't when I first told you. What can some kid like me do, right? I can see how the others look at me. They thought I was acting like a freak in the temple,"

"I apologize," Sephiroth said to her, "I was…not in a good place yesterday,"

Aeris looked sympathetic. "I know,"

"Aeris…" Sephiroth looked uncomfortable, "I will help you get to the Ancient city, and I will support you in what you need to do. But I have to warn you. Jenova may be insane, but she's coherent enough to see you as a threat. You know that I would never do anything to hurt you, but…as my prior behavior shows, I have lost control at times. I don't trust myself. So I'll say this now: if Jenova does appear…I want you to run. Run as fast as you possibly can, and don't worry about me. You're the one she wants dead,"

Aeris looked discouraged. "Well, being the last descendant of the Cetra who sealed her, I guess that makes sense,"

"Promise me," Sephiroth insisted.

"…I promise," Aeris said finally.

"Good. Now as for getting up north…are you up for an alternative method of travel…?"

* * *

"There it is…" Cid stated as he pointed ahead of him, "The northern crater," 

"The Planet willing, this will all end soon," Medea said.

Suddenly, the entire ship began to shake violently.

"Holy shit!" Cid yelled, "The hell's going on?!"  
Medea struggled to maintain her footing. "It's some kind of energy field," she said above the noise, "Turn away! There's no way this thing can get through without crashing!"

"You think it's Jenova?" Vincent asked as he held onto one of the steering wheels.

"I think she's spotted us, yes," Medea answered, "And she probably knows we don't have Sephiroth! Turn this thing around now or we'll get killed!"

Vincent and Cid looked at each other, and nodded. The two both jerked the steering wheels to the right and held on tightly.

* * *

"Oof!!" Tifa's body was slammed against the wall in the meeting room. 

"Shit!" Zack tried in vain to grab his playing cards. Half of them spilled all over the floor.

"What the hell is that??" Jessie exclaimed as she felt herself being pushed against the wall.

"_May I have your freakin' attention_!!" Cid's voice came on from the intercom, "_Your little friend Jenova supposedly pulled a fast one over us, and now we have to turn around, or crash. Sorry for the goddamn inconvenience. Have a freakin' peachy day_,"

"That guy needs his own stewardess," Tifa muttered. "You okay, Cloud?"

"Yeah," Cloud picked himself up off the floor. "Wonder what he was talking about?"

"_May I have your attention, please_," Medea's voice came on, "_What our pilot also meant to tell you is that we will be re-routing our flight to Icicle Inn for now…and have a…peachy day_,"

"This just keep's getting more and more complicated," Cloud sighed.

"Do you think Sephiroth's already there?" Tifa wondered.

Jessie shook her head. "No way. He's not gonna do anything else until he finds Aeris,"

"Maybe he did," Cloud suggested.

"He'd have called us," Jessie pointed out, "Personally, I don't know what the hell Aeris was thinking running off like that, but maybe it's for the best as far as those two go,"

"What do you mean?" Zack asked.

Jessie flashed him a sympathetic look. "I think you'd better find another girl to chase after, Zack,"

The soldier stared blankly at Jessie.

"God, do I need to spell it out for you?" Jessie snapped, "Aeris is totally stuck on Sephiroth! I've seen for _weeks_ now how those two act around each other! It's kind of hard to make it out at first, because he really does act like some protective older brother. But it's actually just his weird brand of chivalry. And to Aeris, he's some kind of god, even though she'd rather die than admit it, and I think time alone would be good for them to finally face the facts!"

Zack continued to stare, as if contemplating all that Jessie had told him.

"Tough break, huh?" Cloud said as he put his hand on his friend's shoulder, "Finally met the one who got away,"

"Cloud! Don't tease him on top of everything else!" Tifa scolded. She went up to Zack. "…You really liked her, huh?"

"Hey- no prob!" Zack forced a smile, "Plenty of fish in the sea, right? I…hey, it's cool. She wants to hook up with the cool, enigmatic warrior, I guess I can't blame her. And I guess Sephiroth's issues with me hanging out with her were more than just him being protective. Heh- how about that?"

Jessie sighed. _Poor guy…_

"I…um…I'm kinda tired," Zack said as he backed toward the door, "You guys feel free to keep playing with my cards. Cloud- make sure they don't get lost, alright, buddy?"

He left.

Tifa glared at Jessie. "Did you have to thrust it in his face like that?"

Jessie sighed. "I guess I could've broke it to him more gently. Ugh- I don't know. I'm just so sick of seeing so many people who don't know what's right in front of them. People really confuse me sometimes,"

She was met by blank stares.

"Bah! Kids…" Jessie picked up Zack's deck of cards and began to shuffle them. "You guys up for another round of War…?"

* * *

"Get up," 

Aeris didn't move. _The ground is my friend…_she thought as she clutched two handfuls of sand.

She didn't know how much time had been spent being carried across the ocean mid-air by Sephiroth, but it had been one of the most terrifying experiences of her life. Upon landing on the beach, Aeris had dropped to the ground, knowing she had taken such a wonderful thing for granted.

"Going to stop Meteor with your hands buried in the sand?" Sephiroth asked dryly, "Should I get you a pillow while you're at it?"

"You're mean!" Aeris grumbled as she got to her feet.

"And you're covered in sand," Sephiroth observed, "Shall we get going?"

The two began walking through the forest that stood just ahead of the icy shore they'd landed on. Finding a worn trail to travel on, they continued for a good ten minutes until they reached a clearing.

Before them stood a modest-sized building, where several men were going in and out of. Up ahead, on a hill, next to what looked like a crashed plane, was a large teepee. Scattered all over the area, were a few young men with shovels, hard at work digging up the ground.

"This must be Bone Village," Sephiroth remarked.

"That's where the keystone was found, wasn't it?"

Sephiroth nodded. "I believe the Sleeping Forest lies just beyond here. Do you want to rest here for a while, or shall we keep going?"

"Let's keep going," Aeris decided. "We've got enough rations to last us a couple days, and it shouldn't be too far from here anyway,"

They continued through the small town, climbing up the hill and heading to an opening in the thicket behind the teepee.

"Whoa, now!"

Aeris and Sephiroth turned to see one of the miners frowning at them.

"Something wrong, sir?" Aeris asked him.

"You were about to enter the Sleeping Forest," the man said, shaking his head. "So long as that forest is asleep, you're not gonna get far traveling through there. Hell- you two might not even come back! Something about that place that makes it impossible to navigate through unless you have the Lunar Harp,"

"So what's the Lunar Harp?" Aeris wanted to know.

The man shrugged. "It's said to open a road for you in the forest. You really shouldn't go in there without it, though. One of our men went in there a couple years ago, but never came back. On the other hand, ten years ago, four strangers came through here, bought a Lunar Harp, but never came back either…unless they went to Icicle Inn or something,"

"If this is some kind of trick to get me to buy some useless trinket…" Sephiroth warned the man.

The excavator gulped nervously. "No trick, sir! They're not even that expensive! No one ever bothers to go to the Ancient city via that route. Most people just travel there by air, and that's only the occasional archaeologist. Though Shinra totally raided the place around the time those four people came in,"  
"Show me where the Lunar Harp is," Aeris said to the man.

Sephiroth peered curiously at her.

"I don't think it's a scam," Aeris told him, "If it is, you can come back and slit everyone's throat later,"

"Right this way," the man nervously beckoned the two to follow.

"Hey, I was only joking…"

* * *

Vincent gazed at the abandoned house before him. He'd been told by one of the villagers that no one had lived there for the past seventeen years. 

There was no way that the inn could fit eleven people without drawing attention, and as it was, he'd found himself wary of the idea of someone recognizing Rufus. As it was, the young VP had willingly gotten rid of his old clothes, in favor of something less obvious than his traditional white suit.

"We'll be staying here," Vincent announced to the party. "Everyone get inside. I'll catch up with you later,"

The rest of the group entered the large house.

"How long are we supposed to stay here again?" Biggs asked as he stared at several cobwebs in the corner of the room.

"Guess we should clean up the place," said Jessie.

Reno held up a video tape he'd found. "Or we could watch TV," he said, "Think they got any porn?"

"Reno, put that down," Rufus said wearily.

"Aww, I just wanna see what's on it!" Reno whined as he popped the tape inside the VCR and turned the TV on.

The sound of a female screaming jolted everyone. On the screen, there was a blurry image of a woman on a bed.

"Hah!" Reno exclaimed, "It _is_ a porno!"

The picture focused, and the group could see a close-up of a vaguely familiar-looking woman, her face contorted in utter agony.

"Shit- that lady looks like Aeris!" Biggs exclaimed.

"_You're doing so well, sweetheart!_" a man's voice said excitedly.

"_IT HURTS!!!!!_" the woman screamed.

"_I know, honey-!_"

"_NO YOU DON'T!!!_" the woman snarled as the man went up to the bed, "_DON'T EVER SAY YOU KNOW, BECAUSE YOU _DON'T!!! _YOU WILL _NEVER_ KNOW!!! EVER!!!!"_

"_All right, I don't know_," the man conceded.

Barrett stared at the screen in disbelief. It was all starting to make sense…

"_You're almost there! Just a little more…! Keep pushing! So close…!_"

There was another scream.

"This is bullshit," Reno went to turn off the TV, only to have Barrett grab his hand and shove the boy out of the way.

"_One more! One more, honey!_"

There was one more ear-piercing scream.

"Who'd 'a thought?" Barrett said softly.

Jessie looked up at the muscle-bound man curiously. "Huh?"

Barrett scratched his head. "Aeris said she was born in this town, but I didn't think I'd be seeing no home movies of the event,"

Jessie's eyes widened. "You mean…?"

"_Aeris…meet your mother_,"

Everyone's jaw dropped.

"So that's Aeris' family," Jessie remarked.

"_Should we tell Sephiroth it's all right to come down?_"

Everyone nearly fell to the floor.

A small, silver-haired child slowly walked over to the bed, only continuing forward at the woman's encouraging words.

"Oh, he was so cute!" Tifa squealed.

"_Hello, Aeris_," he said softly.

"Awww!!" nearly everyone chorused.

* * *

Somewhere in the Sleeping Forest, two people sneezed at the same time. 

"Hah- jinx!" Aeris laughed as she wiped her nose.

"Let's keep going," Sephiroth said, "I can see a clearing up ahead,"

"Then I guess this thing really does work," Aeris said. She held up the Lunar Harp, and clumsily plucked at the strings.

"I suppose the Sleeping Forest isn't that particular as far as its taste in music goes," Sephiroth commented.

"Oh, like you could do better?" Aeris retorted.

Sephiroth walked toward the clearing.

"Hey- don't you walk away from me, mister…!" Aeris called after him as she ran to catch up.


	19. Ch 19: Kindred Spirits

Chapter 19: Kindred Spirits

Reno couldn't hide the smirk on his face as he walked back from the liquor store. In his hands was a bag containing several forty-ounce bottles of malt liquor.

_Just like back home…_he thought with a grin,_ knocking back a few with a bunch of squatters._

Arriving at the house, Reno opted to head straight to the back porch, rather than hang out inside where it was so crowded. However, someone else was already sitting on the floor, his back against the wall.

"Hey, soldier-boy," Reno greeted Zack. "They watching more of those stupid home movies again?"

"Nah," Zack answered dully, "Vincent came back while you were gone. He got kinda pissed and made us shut off the TV,"

"What's eating you?" Reno asked.

"Huh?" Zack looked up at the Turk. "Oh, nothing,"

"Yeah, Sephiroth and the Ancient were acting the same way and then they split. You gonna bail as well?"

Zack groaned and held his head in his hands.

"Want some?" Reno took out a bottle and offered it to Zack.

Zack stared at the forty for a moment. Then, he sighed and accepted the drink.

"Yeah, that's what I'm talking about!" Reno grinned, "Maybe you're not such a stiff after all. Even if your singing sounds like a dying bandersnatch,"

"Is that _always_ gonna come back to haunt me?" Zack growled.

"What?"

"Nothing," Zack opened the bottle and held it up toward Reno. "Cheers,"

* * *

"And I thought Nibelheim's winters were cold," Tifa commented as she shivered underneath her coat.

"So why'd you wanna take a walk then?" Cloud asked her.

Tifa shrugged.

"Sure is quiet here," Cloud remarked.

"It's funny," Tifa giggled, "I thought escorting the vice president to the mako reactor was going to be the most exciting day of my life. That pales in comparison to this. I've been to Mideel, I explored the ruins of an ancient temple, and now I'm all the way on another continent. Is this what being a trooper has been like for you?"

"We didn't get nearly as many chances to actually enjoy our new surroundings," Cloud admitted, "Honestly, I was surprised that they let us wander around town the day before the mission,"

"Why didn't you come and see me?" Tifa asked.

"No one was home," Cloud replied.

"Why did you hide from me on the mission?"

Cloud looked away.

"…Were you embarrassed because you didn't get into SOLDIER? I already told you that I don't care,"

"Even though I told _everyone_ I was gonna get in?"

"And when I was younger, I told everyone I was gonna be a ballerina. Do you see me hiding from everyone because I'm not wearing pink slippers?"

Cloud rolled his eyes. "You know that's different,"

"What are you trying to prove?" Tifa asked him.

"Huh?"

"Oh, never mind," Tifa sighed.

They were getting close to the house. Cloud stopped and looked away.

"Cloud?"

"It's funny…" Cloud said shyly, "If someone had told me three years ago that we'd be talking a walk together, just the two of us, I'd have probably tried to punch their lights out…if it were a guy, anyway,"

A pained look crossed Tifa's face.

"Yeah…" she whispered. "Hey, Cloud…I'm sorry,"

Cloud looked at her, confused. "Sorry for what?"

"I wish I'd gotten to know you better when we were younger," Tifa told him. "I let my friends judge you for me, and I just stood there and let them give you a hard time at school. That's why I'm sorry,"

Cloud lowered his eyes, slightly embarrassed. "Don't worry about it," he mumbled.

"Studying with Zangan has opened up my eyes," Tifa went on. "These past three years, I started to care less about what my friends thought. Plus…things between me and the guys kinda changed after I…well…"

"You what?"

Tifa rolled her eyes. "Oh, stop acting like you don't know! They're huge!"

Cloud shut his eyes tightly and let out a nervous laugh.

Tifa smiled sheepishly. "Let's just say that I know what it's like to be teased now too,"

"That's a pretty stupid reason for people to make fun of you," said Cloud.

"So is being shy," Tifa said. "And…I'm really glad I've been able to get to know you these past several days,"

"…Me too,"

They stared at each other for a moment. Swallowing hard, Cloud slowly leaned forward...

"DADADA DAH, DAH, DAH, DAH DADAAAAAA!!!"

The two jumped at the sound of Zack's loud singing/shrieking coming from behind the house.

"What the heck was that?" Tifa asked as she went to follow the sound.

Cloud growled softly as he followed her. _Damn you, Zack…!_

"Nope…" Reno said as Cloud and Tifa approached the back porch, "You still can't sing,"

"Y'think that's why Aeris doesn't like me?" Zack slurred, "I mean…I'm a nice guy! I'm good-looking, I got a badass sword, 'n I brush my teeth every morning! Whasshee see in a guy like Sephiroth?"

"Guess she's into those ultimate badass types…" Reno said before finishing off his forty.

"Zack, what the hell are you doing?" Cloud asked as he strode up to the drunken soldier.

"Making friends," Zack snickered, "Reno 'n I are sorry we said mean things to each other at the Behemoths show. Now we're cool,"

"I don't believe this…" Cloud muttered.

"I'd offer you kids a drink too," Reno told the two teens, "But you came a little late. This is the last one I'm holding, and I'm not sharing it with anyone,"

"Whatever," Cloud growled. He turned to Tifa. "I'm gonna hit the sack. Maybe we should hang out again sometime,"

Tifa forced a smile, obviously disappointed at the ruined moment. "That'd be fun,"

Cloud went inside.

"As for you two…" Tifa turned to glare at the two drunks. "I know Reno can hold his liquor, but Zack, if you wake up sick in the morning, then you deserve to trek across the Great Glacier with a hangover!"

"Woo! Spunky!" Reno applauded.

"Oh, shut up!" Tifa snapped as she went inside.

"…I think she's mad," Zack said lamely.

* * *

The cold climate of the Northern Continent didn't seem to have much affect on the city known only by a few as the city of the Ancients. The crumbling city was comfortably warm, much to the relief of the two lone travelers walking down its empty streets.

Aeris looked around, trying to visualize what the city must have looked like during its glory days. She glanced at her watch. It was five 'o clock. Would the adults have been returning from work now? Would someone at home be preparing dinner? Were there little kids playing kickball in the streets? Did they ever make a habit of conversing with the Planet before going to bed like she always did?

"You're quiet," Sephiroth observed, "Is something wrong? I'd have expected you to be talking my ear off after arriving here,"

Aeris shook her head. "It's…just too much for words,"

"That's a first,"

"Hey!"

Sephiroth stopped at one of the houses. "Do you think we should try to settle in one of these buildings? Or do you want to keep going?"

He then jerked his head at a sudden noise, only to realize a split second later that it was Aeris' stomach.

"Hmm…" Aeris giggled, "Maybe we should stop long enough to eat something,"

"As you wish,"

They made their way to the house, opening the door.

"It's not even creaking," Sephiroth observed.

They entered the house, closing the door behind them. No sooner did they get a chance to look around, then Sephiroth's reflexes kicked in as an unknown assailant swung a large, barbed staff at the two. The swordsman tackled Aeris to the ground, then sprang to his feet, drawing his sword.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" he hissed at his attacker.

"Could ask you the same thing!" the man retorted, "Are you one of the Shinra?"

Sephiroth laughed bitterly.

"Wait!" Aeris scrambled to her feet. She took a good look at the man. He was tall, and looked to be in his mid-thirties. He had thick blond hair and bright silver eyes, with the same sheen as Aeris' own green irises. Another thing that stood out was his shirt. It was a similar style to Medea's own odd clothing. But there was something odd that Aeris could sense about him…something that she'd once sensed whenever her mother was nearby.

The man had lowered his staff, taking a good look at Aeris as well.

"You…" he said finally, "You're Aeris, aren't you?"

"How do you know my name?" Aeris asked.

"Well, you look exactly like your mother," the man told her, "Plus, I do know who you are," He then turned to look at Sephiroth, still holding his sword up. "That must be Sephiroth, then,"

"You're Medea's husband!" Aeris realized.

"Nice to meet you," the man smiled brightly, "Name's Reidmar,"

Sephiroth sheathed his sword. "I apologize for the mix-up, then. I'd forgotten that someone was living in this city. Perhaps we should have knocked,"

"Yeah, I should have known too," Aeris said sheepishly, "Medea did say you were here, trying to fix the gateway. What she didn't say was that you were a Cetra!"

Sephiroth scowled. "Cetra? Are you sure?"

"Sure she's sure!" Reidmar laughed, "We Cetra can sense each other's presence, or absence, really. No wonder she caught me off-guard, though. Her being half-human and all. Can't really tell until they're two feet away from you-"

"Have you fixed the gateway?" Aeris interrupted.

"So close," Reidmar sighed, "I'm about 99 percent of the way there, but it's that one percent that worries me. Believe me, I wouldn't wish what happened to us on my worst enemy. So what brings you here? Is my wife with you?"

Aeris shook her head. "No. I'm here on a quest for my ancestors. They led me here. Wait- if you're a Cetra, maybe you can help!"

Reidmar looked thoughtful. "Hmm. Depends on what they want you to do. If they spoke to you and not me, there may be a reason. Most likely that you're tied to this planet. I may be a Cetra, but I'm still a stranger to this world. You, on the other hand, have already begun to unlock the Planet,"

"I see," Aeris looked disappointed.

"Still, I'll help out any other way I can," Reidmar told her, "But I'll have to hear the whole story first. Actually, if you'd like something to eat, you can tell me over dinner,"

Aeris beamed. "Perfect!"

* * *

Rufus and the others awoke the next morning to a loud noise outside of the house.

"Is that a helicopter?" Biggs yawned.

A sudden realization hit Rufus. "Shit…" he muttered as he scrambled for his boots.

As soon as he was fully dressed for the cold, he ran outside, where indeed, a helicopter had touched down near the house. Looking at the side of the aircraft, he could see a familiar logo. Just then, the door opened, and President Shinra stepped out, with Heidegger, Rude, and two other Turks following him.

_Damn, _Rufus thought, _I was hoping this could wait until later…might as well get this over with…_

The president looked around disdainfully, until his eyes came to rest on Rufus.

"Hello, Father," Rufus called out as he approached him.

President Shinra frowned. "I expected to find you bound and gagged in a closet somewhere,"

"Gya-ha-ha!" Heidegger chuckled.

"I must say, you've given me quite a run for my money," the president went on, "It wasn't easy to follow your trail. But I suppose I can thank you for leading me directly to Avalanche,"

As if on cue, the others burst outside, ready to put up a fight. Tseng and Reno ran over to Rufus, stopping only a few feet behind him.

"Rude!" Reno waved at his old friend.

The bald Turk waved back.

"Rude, you're so coooool!" Reno yelled.

Rufus smoothed his hair back. "Go home, old man. I've realized something. These people I'm with are much more equipped to handle Jenova than you are,"

The president stared blankly at his son. "You're not serious,"

"I'm always serious," Rufus said smugly.

"These are the same people who have been trying to bring us down for years!" President Shinra protested, "Whether they destroy Jenova or not, the fact remains, they intend to destroy everything our family has achieved,"

Rufus shook his head. "You and I have different definitions of achievement, don't we?"

The president fumed.

"At first, I just wanted to piss you off by using Avalanche," Rufus confessed, "To show that I could do a better job with some rebels than you could with the entire army on your side. But who would have thought that these people I've fallen in with turned out to be so capable? I've even found myself trying to catch up at times. I can't say I ever had that experience running Shinra Inc, with you. Besides…they're right. Mako _is_ a threat to the Planet. I don't plan on dying anytime soon just because you chose to ignore the facts,"

President Shinra regarded his son coldly. "So in the end, you will ultimately betray your own father. Is that it?"

"If you can listen to all that I've said and still call it betrayal, then I suppose," Rufus told him.

"TSENG!!" the president roared.

The raven-haired Turk shrugged. "I take my orders from Rufus,"

"Yeah, same here," Reno said, "Hey- Rude! Tell Shuriken I said 'hey',"

Rude nodded.

The vice president turned to go back inside the house.

"Aren't you going to stop them, sir?" Heidegger asked.

The president shook his head. "I have more important things to tend to. Get Scarlet on the phone. We're proceeding with our next move, regardless,"

"What?" Rufus asked as everyone glared at him. "I meant what I said. I'm fighting against Jenova _and_ the old man. I'll tear down those reactors as soon as we're done with the alien, and as soon as I'm in charge. Are you happy? You got a lot more out of me than you thought,"

Vincent eyed Rufus warily. "So be it, then,"

"So that's that, huh?" Reno elbowed Rufus. "We're really in deep shit now, boss,"

"I'll give you all bonuses once this is over," the VP told him.

"Everyone listen up," Vincent addressed the group. "Now that we have the map, we just need to make one more stop…"

* * *

"God, I can hardly believe this!" the man behind the counter exclaimed, "I was practically going out of business, and then you show up asking for _six_ snowmobiles!"

"You do have that amount, right?" Vincent asked.

"Sure!" the man said, "Boy…you might have saved my business from bankruptcy…at least for a while anyway! Another few months and you might have had to ride through the Great Glacier on snowboards,"

Vincent handed the man a stack of gill.

"I thought the keystone would've cleaned us out," Jessie whispered to Biggs.

"Trust Vincent to always have something up his sleeve," Biggs whispered back.

"Right this way, people," the man gestured toward the back door of his shop.

* * *

Sephiroth sat outside the househe and Aeris had decided to settle in. The teenager was still at the house Reidmar occupied, talking with the older Cetra.

Dinner for the past couple of days had consisted of dried jerky from their rations, and water from a lake that Reidmar had insisted was perfectly safe to drink. For desert, the Cetra had managed to scrounge up a few apples.

Sephiroth had to admit, he felt a little better knowing that he and Aeris were in friendly company. Normally, he wouldn't have cared one way or the other if he was alone, but Jenova's meddling had him constantly on edge. He was thankful that there would be someone else who could watch over Aeris if Jenova managed to ensnare his mind again.

The sound of his PHS ringing jolted him out of his thoughts. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out the small device and pressed the "talk" button.

"Sephiroth here," he said.

"_How goes your search?_" Vincent asked.

"I've found Aeris," Sephiroth answered, "We're in the City of the Ancients. Aeris is busy talking with Medea's husband. Where are you?"

"_We're about to ride into the Great Glacier. Jenova has made it impossible for us to reach the crater by air, so we're getting there by snowmobile_,"

"I see," Sephiroth muttered, "Well, I think we'll be able to catch up to you in a couple days. Aeris says there's something she can do from here, though she hasn't really elaborated on what it might be. I'll call you when we're ready to leave,"

"_You're both well?_"

"Yes," Sephiroth answered, "Good luck on your journey,"

"_Same to you, Sephiroth_,"

As he stuck the PHS back in his pocket, he spotted Aeris walking toward the house. He stood up to meet her.

"Sorry to keep you waiting so long," she said as she approached him. "I just had so much stuff I had to ask him,"

"I understand," Sephiroth said. "Vincent called. He and the others are trying to get to the crater by snowmobile,"

Aeris pouted. "Snowmobile? Those guys get to have all the fun!"

"You'd rather ride a snowmobile than visit the home of your ancestors?"

"I…well…okay, I guess this is better," Aeris admitted.

"I thought so,"

"You know, this is kind of like old times," Aeris said, "Back when it was just you and me. I like this,"

Sephiroth didn't respond.

"I can't wait till this is over and I can see Mama and Papa again," Aeris continued, "Plus, we'll actually be traveling to another world. Doesn't that excite you? Oh wait, that's right- you're too cool to be excited,"

"I'm looking forward to meeting more of the Seraphim," Sephiroth admitted, "And of course, to seeing Mom and the professor,"

"It would mean we get to rest finally," Aeris said wistfully, "No more running. No more looking over our shoulders. I haven't remembered living like that for a long time,"

Sephiroth nodded. "It's a nice thought,"

"To see you actually relaxed," Aeris mused, "I vaguely remember a time when you were always at ease. I'd really like to see that person again,"

"I'd like to see you able to enjoy yourself as well," Sephiroth told her, "Too much has been taken from you as it is,"

Aeris waved her hand dismissively. "It's all right. We've both survived,"

Sephiroth shook his head. "It should never have happened in the first place,"

"There's no point in dwelling on what we can't change now," Aeris reminded him.

The swordsman looked at her briefly, and then heaved a sigh as he nodded in agreement. After a moment of silence, he spoke softly:

"I hate that you had to endure it alone. I hate that they made you suffer, and I hated the idea of someone like Hojo shattering your innocence like he did mine. That was why I promised myself the minute I first saw you, that I'd never let anything like that happen to you. But all the same, you had to go through so much anyway…"

Aeris smiled at him. "But I _didn't_ endure it alone," she said softly, "You were always there for me. Always waiting for me, always teaching me something new. You were the one thing I could count on for as long as I can remember…"

She threw her arms around him. "And that is the one thing I wouldn't change for anything…" she whispered, "You…my protector…my best friend…I'm so lucky that you ended up being part of my life,"

Sephiroth stiffened for a moment. _What if you lose control?_

He then pushed the thought out of his head as he concentrated on the wall in his mind. Jenova's thoughts hadn't disturbed him since the temple, and he had no plans to let her in tonight.

Tentatively, he returned the embrace. _Her hair smells nice…she must have washed it this morning…_

"Now was that so bad?" Aeris teased him.

They stayed like that for a few moments. Then Aeris pulled away.

"Tomorrow's going to be a big day, I think," she said as she reached for the door handle. "I should get to sleep early,"

Sephiroth nodded.

Aeris smiled. "Goodnight, Sephiroth,"

* * *

A/N: Another fairly light-hearted chapter, with some Aeriseph and Cloti moments to please everyone.

Next chapter: Avalanche attempts to cross the Great Glacier, while Aeris prays for Holy.


	20. Ch 20: The Summoning

Chapter 20: The Summoning

Jessie sat huddled next to the fireplace in the house that she and the others had been fortunate enough to stumble upon.

The house belonged to a mountain climber named Holzoff. He'd graciously allowed the team to spend the night at his place, and had offered them advice for continuing up north. They would, unfortunately, have to leave their snowmobiles behind, but Holzoff had been kind enough to allow them to leave their vehicles with him.

The others were still asleep. They would be waiting for word from Sephiroth. Once he and Aeris were ready to go on, so would they.

Jessie sighed, discouraged. She was an okay fighter, but endurance was not her strong point. If they hadn't been riding snowmobiles, she would not have lasted as long as she had. For her, this was the end of the line. Vincent had already decided to have Cid come and pick up Jessie, Rufus, Tifa, and Cloud.

"You're up early,"

Jessie turned her head to see Rufus sitting up in his sleeping bag, yawning as he pushed his hair out of his eyes.

"Yeah," said Jessie.

"What time is Highwind going to pick us up again?" he asked.

Jessie looked at her watch. "Around noon. So that gives us another five-and-a-half hours,"

Rufus nodded as he got out of the sleeping bag and stood up.

"You really do start your day early, don't you?" Jessie said, "I'd always pictured you as the type to sleep in,"

"I never had time," Rufus told her, "I've always had a busy schedule. Despite what people may think, I do actually work,"

Jessie got up, grabbed her coat, and walked over to the door.

"Where are you going?" Rufus asked.

"Just for a little walk," Jessie replied, "Cold air wakes me up. I figure, it's cheaper than coffee,"

Rufus looked around for his snow boots. Finding them, he began to put them on.

"That's not a bad idea," he said, "I think I'll come with you,"

"What for?" Jessie asked.

Rufus reached for his coat. "Well, you're the only member of Avalanche that doesn't seem to want to slit my throat. Do you want me to come or don't you?"

Jessie shrugged. "I guess it's cool,"

She opened the door, and the two went outside.

"So what's your deal?" Jessie asked as they began to walk up the hill.

Rufus looked at her. "Deal?"

"Yesterday, you could have easily stabbed us in the back," Jessie said, "Why didn't you?"

Rufus looked at her. "What good would that do? I know that Avalanche stands a better chance against Jenova. My father doesn't need to use an entire army against Jenova, which I know he will. War seems to be his reaction to everything,"

"And it's not yours?"

"I'm not sure anymore," Rufus admitted, "I figured that fear was the only real way to keep a person motivated. Even greed doesn't work all the time. When wealth is achieved, people become lazy. But fear always works no matter what. Still…I don't know what it is about you people that's so different. Yes, fear is part of your motivation, but you don't move about in a blind panic like the rest of the world seems to do,"

"That's because people blindly put their faith in their leaders," Jessie said, "And they have the wrong kind of leader. The kind who tries to control and then mollify the people. A leader should inspire- not intimidate,"

They finally approached the bottom of Gaea's Cliff. The two stood there for a while, admiring the mountains ahead of them.

"Does Valentine inspire you?" Rufus asked after a minute.

"Every day," Jessie answered, "Sephiroth too. They may not seem that way, but they're two of the best role models I've ever had. They've inspired me to give it my all. Why settle for less?"

"Because it's what I've seen everyone do all my life," Rufus told her, "They don't put in the effort, but demand the payment nonetheless,"

"But you know now that not everyone is like that," Jessie reminded him, "People like us exist. You just have to look hard to find them. How could you have expected to when you spent your entire life closed off from the rest of the world?"

Rufus stared at the mountain for a moment. "I'm glad I found my chance to escape, then," he said softly.

"So the cold-hearted prince has a whole other side to him," Jessie mused, "I guess we learn something new every day,"

She then peered at him. "Is it my imagination, or are you actually smiling?"

Rufus looked away. "Don't tell anyone," he joked half-heartedly, "Can't blow my cover just yet,"

Jessie smiled, and then looked behind her. "We should head back. The others will probably be waking up soon,"

"All right,"

They turned around and began walking down the hill.

* * *

Sephiroth wiped the sweat off his brow as he sheathed his sword. He'd spent the past half hour practicing his katas, like he used to do back in Fort Condor. 

There hadn't been many good places to practice at the B&B in Midgar. There was the one dojo where Sephiroth would train the others, but nothing compared to practicing outdoors. He'd missed it.

He'd given up years ago on getting Aeris to practice early in the morning. That girl could never be bothered to do anything strenuous in the morning unless absolutely necessary.

He'd been restless since arriving at the empty city with Aeris. The voices had stopped suddenly, according to her. For now, all they could do was wait for more guidance from her ancestors.

Sephiroth looked up at the sky. The sun had just about risen. Aeris would be up soon. So would Reidmar.

He was about to head back to the house when something caught his eye. Looking closer, he could see Aeris walking down the road toward the path leading to the lake.

"Aeris!" he called out.

She continued walking, not having given any indication of having heard him.

Frowning, Sephiroth began to run after her.

"Aeris," he said as he finally caught up to her.

The girl continued to walk, as if he weren't there.

"Aeris!" He stepped in front of her, blocking her path.

Taking a good look at her, he noticed the faraway look in her eyes that she always had whenever he caught her talking to the Planet.

_They must have finally spoken again…_

Knowing that there wasn't anything he could do, he let her continue, and followed her into the shell-like building that stood to the left of the lake.

He took her arm as she walked down the long, spiral staircase leading down into the inner city. Aeris still didn't notice him, but Sephiroth was only concerned that she might fall in her semi-conscious state.

They finally reached the bottom of the stairs. Aeris then led Sephiroth to a set of pillars that led to what looked like a large topless gazebo. She then made a move to jump to the first pillar.

"No, you don't," Still not trusting her reflexes, Sephiroth scooped the girl up into his arms as he leapt over each pillar effortlessly, until he stood on the large platform. Looking around, he put her down.

Aeris slowly sank to her knees and clasped her hands together, closing her eyes.

Sephiroth watched her for a moment, and then began to pace restlessly. Was she praying for guidance? Was she calling for power? He remembered that Ifalna's materia was supposed to have a large role in stopping Meteor. Had Jenova summoned it already? Did Jenova know about the white materia?

That last thought jarred Sephiroth. If she did, there was no way she would let Aeris stop her. He'd felt as if they were being watched when they first arrived. At first, he thought it had simply been Reidmar, but even after they became acquainted with Medea's happy-go-lucky Cetra husband, he still hadn't been able to shake the feeling. Nothing had happened, of course, but now that this seemed to be the moment he, Aeris, and Reidmar had been waiting for, anything seemed possible.

_So long as I watch her, things should be fine._

With renewed confidence at that last thought, Sephiroth unsheathed his sword, looking around for anything suspicious. After a while, his eyes came back to rest on Aeris. She had not moved at all, and the calm expression on her face hadn't changed.

_If only I had the words of the Cetra to calm me…_Sephiroth thought as he stared at her face. He continued to look at her. _By the Planet, she's so beautiful…_

He soon found himself kneeling in front of her, not two feet away. Before he knew it, he'd lifted his hand to her face, softly caressing it.

_Just one taste…_he thought as he leaned closer. _Why shouldn't I? She doesn't have to know…she'll never know…it's only fair…she…belongs to me…mine…no one else's…_

He snapped back to his senses, finding his face only an inch away from Aeris' face. Growling, he sprang to his feet and looked around, furious.

_She_ was back.

"JENOVA!!!!" he screamed.

The sound of her mad laughter reached his ears.

"What are you doing to me…?" he hissed as he stumbled backwards.

"Sephiroth…?"

He looked down to see Aeris staring confusedly at him.

"Are you all right?" he asked her.

"…What am I doing here?" she asked as she looked around.

"Nevermind that!" he pulled the girl to her feet, "Get out of here. Jenova is back. Run- just like I told you!"

_I think not…_

A large red and black creature with dark blue tentacles appeared on the platform, blocking their way off. Raising the wing-like appendages it had on its back, it emitted a loud, grating noise.

"What is that?!" exclaimed Aeris as she unsheathed her sword.

"I don't know," Sephiroth said, "But I can sense Jenova…plus, look at the tentacles. This clearly has her name written all over it,"

He ran over and slashed at the monster, while Aeris raised her sword and chanted a fire spell.

Seeing that Aeris was unguarded, the creature raised its main tentacle. The limb shot out, stabbing the girl directly through the shoulder.

Sephiroth's blood ran cold as he heard Aeris screaming bloody murder. Looking back, he could see her being raised in the air, still impaled on the tentacle. Racing back, he slashed his sword cleanly through the creature's appendage. He held out his arm and caught Aeris before she could hit the floor.

"_ULTIMA!!!!_" a voice shouted.

It was the last thing Sephiroth heard before darkness overtook him.

* * *

"Dyne, you lucky son of a bitch," 

Biggs turned his head to look at Barrett. "Say what?"

"I'd 'a thought you'd be agreeing with me," Barrett grunted as he kept climbing up Gaea's Cliff. "After all, if Eleanor hadn't gotten pregnant, he'd be here instead of you,"

"But I don't mind," Biggs stopped climbing once he stood on another ledge and began rubbing his arms furiously. Despite all the protective clothing the group had on, it still didn't stop the intense, below-zero weather up there from getting to everyone periodically.

"You must be a glutton for punishment," Barrett remarked as he watched Biggs climb up after him.

"We're almost there!" Vincent called from above, "I can see a tunnel up ahead!"

"Excellent," Biggs said.

"You got guts, kid," Barrett said, "Hope this shit ends soon…"

* * *

"Sephiroth…? Hey…come on now…wakey-wakey!" 

Sephiroth slowly opened his eyes to see Reidmar standing over him. Looking around, he could see he was still on the platform past the pillars.

"…Where's Aeris?" he asked.

"Right here," Aeris stepped into view. She'd changed her shirt, and her wound was gone, but her right arm was in a sling. "Reidmar was able to heal me. My shoulder hurts a little, but I feel fine otherwise,"

Sephiroth sat up."I guess I owe you two an apology," Reidmar said sheepishly, "I got a little careless with that Ultima spell, and it ended up hitting you too. Not directly, thank goodness, but still…I'm really sorry,"

"Ah, Sephiroth can take a little roughness, can't you?" Aeris teased him as he got to his feet. "Hey- got something really neat to show you…"

She reached into her pocket and took out her mother's materia, which had now taken on a green hue, and was glowing brightly.

"What's going on?" Sephiroth asked her.

Aeris' eyes twinkled. "I think it worked. Holy has been summoned. Nothing should go wrong now. Jenova tried to kill me, but it didn't work, thanks to my two knights-in-shining-armor,"

Reidmar smiled. "You flatter me, Aeris,"

"So what are we standing around here for?" Aeris asked, "Let's get something to eat before we figure out our next move,"

"Where are we going anyway?" Tifa asked as she, Cloud, Rufus and Jessie sat in the meeting room of the Highwind.

"There's a place in Corel we can hide out," Jessie answered.

"Guess this means we won't be the ones fighting Jenova," Cloud sighed as he rested his head in his arms.

"You can protect me from the natives of Corel," Rufus told him, "My father's been putting pressure on them for a while to have a mako reactor built there. Everyone's against it. I'm sure they won't be very happy to see me,"

"How much longer until we get there?" Tifa asked.

Rufus checked his watch. "About two more hours,"

"Hey, Cloud- you still have Zack's playing cards?" Jessie asked.

"I do, actually," Cloud reached into one of his pockets and pulled out the deck of cards.

"You gonna play too?" Tifa asked Rufus.

Rufus shrugged. "Sure. Why not?"

Cloud shuffled the deck and began to deal.

* * *

"I still don't understand what that thing was," Aeris said as she and the others ate. 

"It's an old skill that some Seraphim possess," Reidmar explained, "You're aware of your regenerative powers, right?"

Sephiroth nodded.

"If a limb is torn off, a new one grows," Reidmar went on, "But what happens to the original limb? Usually, it simply decays as a corpse would. But sometimes, the limb may take on a life of its own. Your friend Jenova is one of the few Seraphim who can create crude offshoots of herself from her own body,"

"Do you think she's created more then?" Aeris asked worriedly, "What if she creates like a whole army?"

"An entire army is unlikely," Reidmar said, "Though she may have a few other offshoots running around. We can't really know for now,"

Sephiroth took out his phone and stepped out of the room.

Reidmar smiled at Aeris. "You've gone through a lot, haven't you? I wish there was more I can do for your arm,"

"You said it would be better by tomorrow anyway," Aeris said, "It's no big deal. I just keep reminding myself that it'll only be a matter of days before I get to see my parents again,"

Reidmar nodded. "That's a good way to see things,"

Aeris shrugged. "What else is there?"

"Not many people would share that sentiment with you," Reidmar pointed out.

"I'll admit- these past couple of weeks haven't made it easy," Aeris told him, "But…if this other world my parents are in…if I can live my life, never having to keep my heritage a secret…that's what I keep holding out for,"

"Oh, your being a Cetra, and even your human blood won't faze anyone there," said Reidmar, "You're a rational being with your own feelings, your own personality. Over there, an individual's rights are respected, so long as they're law-abiding citizens. No one has the right to study another person against their will for the sake of 'progress',"

"Those are words I've been dying to hear from someone else for years now," Aeris sighed. "It's the reason why I can't stay with my parents for long. I still have to keep fighting against President Shinra. Even if Rufus is on our side, there's still that war going on,"

She paused for a moment and closed her eyes before she continued to speak:

"Just one little break. From all the running, the hiding…one moment where I don't have to be scared. That's what I'm thinking about now. Then, later, I can go back to bringing down Shinra Inc,"

Sephiroth returned, sliding his PHS back in his pocket.

"Vincent predicts that they'll reach the crater in a couple hours," he informed the others, "When he calls again, we'll be leaving as well,"

"Will you be coming with us?" Aeris asked Reidmar.

The older Cetra looked thoughtful for a moment. "All right," he said, "I suppose you could use an extra healer. Poor Aeris probably has to do it all,"

Aeris looked relieved. "Thanks,"

Reidmar stood up. "In that case, I should probably do a little packing,"

Aeris stood up as well. Just as she was about to excuse herself to gather her own belongings, the room began to shake violently.

"Get out!!" Reidmar yelled as he shoved both Aeris and Sephiroth toward the door.

They could hear dishes and other objects crashing to the floor from inside as they fled the house.

"What is this?" Sephiroth asked loudly.

Aeris and Reidmar began clutching at their foreheads.

"…This…isn't good…!!" Aeris yelled as she winced in pain.

Sephiroth immediately knelt down beside Aeris, glancing back at Reidmar.

"Meteor…!" Aeris managed to cry out, "Jenova's summoned Meteor! Wait…don't do it, please!! We can handle it on our own!"

"What's going on?!" Reidmar gasped as he tried to bear the searing pain in his head.

Then, just as suddenly as the commotion had started, the shaking immediately stopped.

Sephiroth sat on the floor, his arm around Aeris' shoulder as her own trembling slowly ceased.

"Are you all right?" he asked the two Cetra.

"What the hell was that?" Reidmar asked shakily as he got to his feet.

Aeris looked grave.

"Meteor has been summoned," she announced solemnly, "That was the Planet releasing WEAPON,"

Sephiroth cursed as he helped Aeris to her feet. He then took out his PHS and began to dial. After several seconds, he hung up.

"No answer," he said, "I'm going to try calling Jessie. She was supposed to go to North Corel along with some of the others,"

Aeris watched him as he dialed Jessie's phone, and exhaled a sigh of relief as she could faintly hear Jessie's voice on the other end.

_Why did I even summon Holy in the first place if this ended up happening anyway…?_

This time, her ancestors didn't give her an answer.

* * *

Please insert Disc 2. Estimated loading time: 5-14 days. ;) 


	21. Ch 21: Departures

Chapter 21: Departures 

Aeris sat in Reidmar's living room, anxiously waiting for Sephiroth's PHS to ring.

Cid had agreed to turn around and try to search for the others. That had been hours ago.

"Hungry?" Reidmar held an apple out to her.

Aeris shook her head and began rubbing her shoulder absently. Was it her imagination, or had she started to feel a burning sensation there the past hour?

"They have to be all right," Sephiroth muttered as he stared at the small communicator in his hand. "Vincent wouldn't be stupid enough to do something like dying. Nor would he let the others die either,"

Reidmar nodded. "Medea's too stubborn to let a simple earthquake take her down,"

Just then, the PHS rang. Sephiroth quickly answered.

"Yeah?" he spoke, "Vincent! Is everyone all right…? You have? …That's good to hear…all right then. We'll be waiting here,"

He hung up and heaved a relieved sigh.

"Well…?" Aeris pressed.

"They were in the middle of the peaks when the earthquake hit," Sephiroth explained, "No one was hurt, and Cid was able to find them easily. The only thing damaged was Vincent's PHS. That's why we couldn't get in touch with them until now. They're on the Highwind as we speak,"

Aeris looked incredibly relieved. "I'm so glad to hear that," she said, "It feels like we're all living on borrowed time these days,"

"They'll likely be here in the next half-hour," Sephiroth told the others.

"Maybe I will have that apple after all," Aeris said.

* * *

As predicted, the others had returned not long after.

"Everyone," Vincent addressed the thirteen people sitting in the living room, "It looks as if our plans to deal with Jenova have been delayed yet again. Now on top of her summoning Meteor, we have the Planet's own guardians to worry about,"

"Still no word of them as of now," Jessie said as she stared at her computer screen.

Vincent turned to look at Rufus. "Do you think your father's own defense squads may be able to handle the four WEAPONs?"

Rufus shook his head. "That, I can't say. This whole WEAPON thing hasn't ever happened before,"

"There isn't any specific plan that they have," Aeris told everyone, "They're no different than the berserkers in the legends. All they'll likely do is kill aimlessly. I tried to get the Planet to stop them from emerging, but it could only respond to the pain. WEAPON should never have been released at all,"

"Looks like we'll have to bring out the big guns," Rufus said, "Honestly, I don't think that one airship to get around is going to work anymore. There's more than one creature,"

"Indeed," Vincent agreed, "We'll have to find additional transportation, which will be hard since our funds are pretty much maxed out. All additional missions by the other branches have been put on hold for this,"

Rufus smirked. "Not necessarily. My accounts may have been frozen, but there are certain activities that my father has no control over. I can make a few calls that'll help…unless you don't trust me,"

Vincent crossed his arms warily. "I'm listening…"

Rufus nodded. "Okay. You may or may not know this, but I do have a certain appreciation for aviation, which I've had for a few years now,"  
"Look, boy- unless you have an airplane in your pocket, then shut up," Barrett snapped.

"If you'd have _let me finish…!_" Rufus said pointedly, "Then I'd tell you that yes- I do own my own private plane, two of them, actually. And it's all under the nose of the old man,"

"Then we'll split the group up," Vincent declared, "Rufus, go ahead and make your call. Everyone else, don't wander off too far,"

Everyone stood up and dispersed, leaving only Sephiroth, Aeris, Jessie, Rufus, Reidmar, and Medea.

"You were away too long," Reidmar said as he put his arms around Medea.

"I know," Medea sighed as she leaned into her husband's shoulder, "Let's just hope this will all end soon. Jenova is a lot trickier than we gave her credit for,"

"In more ways than one," Reidmar muttered, "Did you know she can create off-shoots? We were attacked by one before the earthquake,"

"Is that why Aeris' arm is in a sling?" Medea asked worriedly.

Reidmar nodded.

Medea looked extremely uneasy. "Jenova's offshoot wounded her?"

"Yes,"

"Did she break the skin?"

"Her shoulder was impaled," Reidmar told her, "But I was able to fix her up,"Aeris walked over to the two. "Excuse me," she said, "But is there anything you can do about the burning? It's really starting to hurt,"

"Your shoulder?" Medea asked quickly.

Aeris nodded, rubbing at it.

"Do you feel anything else?" Medea wanted to know.

"It feels kinda hot in here," Aeris told her.

"What's the matter?" Sephiroth and Jessie walked over to them.

Medea forced a smile. "I think Aeris might have caught a bug. Aeris, why don't you go lie down in one of the bedrooms while we find you some ointment? I'm sure it'll be a while before Rufus' plane gets here,"

"I do feel a little tired," Aeris admitted, "Geez…of all the times for me to get sick,"

"We'll stop somewhere and get you some cold pills," Jessie said, "We'll just pump you full of that stuff until you're ready to fight again,"

"Or until I end up higher than a kite," Aeris laughed, "All right. Wake me up when we're ready to leave,"

Medea watched the young Cetra leave the room.

_My god, I hope I'm mistaken…_she thought.

* * *

Cloud sat outside the entrance to the inner city, absently tossing pebbles into the lake. He looked up at the sky, staring at the large meteor hovering in the distance. 

"Hi,"

Cloud turned his head to see Tifa standing behind him.

"Hey," Cloud greeted the girl.

"Sure has been a crazy couple weeks, hasn't it?" Tifa said as she sat down next to the trooper.

"Seems like one really weird dream," Cloud told her, "I never know what's gonna happen next, y'know?. Wonder if that's what actual war is like. I was too young to fight in the Wutai war…thank the Planet,"

"Shinra sure got creamed back then," Tifa mused.

Cloud nodded. "Both sides lost a lot of soldiers. If there ever was a real war, would I even have the guts to fight in it?"

"War is a scary thing," Tifa acknowledged.

"I just don't know anymore," Cloud said absently, "My service is gonna be up soon. I thought about trying to get into SOLDIER again, but I don't know now. I'm not sure what I want anymore,"

"You could always come back home, couldn't you?" Tifa suggested.

Cloud shook his head. "No way! I hated it there,"

"Things would be different," Tifa told him, "For one…we're friends now…aren't we?"

Cloud looked at her, and smiled slightly. "Sure. We're friends,"

Tifa beamed. "So we'll hang out. And I'll tell everyone about the super-cool Shinra trooper who defeated WEAPON and Jenova!"

"We haven't even seen WEAPON yet," Cloud sighed.

Tifa ignored him. "Cloud Strife: hero of the Planet. You'll be famous!"

"Just me? What about you? Tifa the ass-kicking martial arts student. I'll bet your teacher will be proud,"

Tifa smiled. "I hope so. It's good to see my training paying off. Two years ago, I never could've gotten through that temple without suffering some serious injuries like Rufus did. Lucky for him, Aeris was there to fix him up right away,"

"Yeah,"

"So what does Zack think about you leaving the army?" Tifa asked.

Cloud looked away. "He doesn't know. You're the first person I've told about that,"

"Really?"

Cloud nodded.

"Cloud…"

The both looked up suddenly as the sound of a couple aircrafts flying above them became clear.

"That must be Rufus' planes," Tifa said, "We should go see what's going to happen next,"

"Right,"

They both stood up and began jogging out of the woods.

* * *

"Hey Aeris!" Jessie called as she climbed the stairs leading to the bedroom. "We're just about ready to split up. Let's go so Vincent can figure out where each of us is gonna go," 

Aeris lay in the bed, apparently not having heard Jessie.

"Aeris- I said we gotta go!" Jessie went over to the bed.

The younger girl still didn't move.

"Hey! Rise and shine!" Jessie reached over and grabbed Aeris' arm. She jerked back suddenly. Aeris' arm was cold and clammy.

The young swordswoman slowly opened her eyes, and immediately tossed back the covers.

"So hot…" Aeris moaned.

"Shit…you really don't look good," Jessie said nervously.

"Is everything all right?" Reidmar asked as he entered the room. Medea followed him anxiously.

"I think Aeris is really sick," Jessie told them, "She's all cold and…just look at her!"

Medea went over to Aeris and looked the girl over carefully. "Jessie- go tell Vincent to hold off on our plans for now,"

"What's wrong with her?" Jessie asked worriedly.

"Go- now!" Medea ordered her.

Jessie fled the room.

* * *

Everyone had been waiting silently in the living room for the past fifteen minutes, when Medea and Reidmar came downstairs finally. 

Sephiroth stood up and looked expectantly at the two.

"Aeris has Jenova's virus," Medea announced miserably. "You might be aware that she, Sephiroth, and my husband encountered a monster sent by Jenova earlier this morning,"

The room exploded into a frantic clamor.

"But she was just fine a couple hours ago!" Biggs protested.

"Is she contagious?" Reno asked.

"She shouldn't be," Rufus told him, "According to all the history texts, humans never caught the disease,"

Tifa looked panicked. "But that disease _killed_ the Ancients!"

"Does this mean Aeris is going to die??" Zack asked frantically.

"I don't know," Reidmar shook his head, "There hasn't been a case of this disease reported in over a century. Medical science is always advancing, but I honestly can't say anything either way. All we can hope to do is to fix the gateway and send her through where she can be properly treated,"

"But how long can she last until then?" Sephiroth asked harshly.

"I'd predicted it would only be a couple of days before it was all set," Reidmar told him, "She'll certainly last until then. But it's safe to say, Aeris will no longer be participating in this mission,"

Sephiroth shoved past Reidmar and hurried up the stairs. Upon reaching Aeris' bed, he knelt down next to her and placed his hand on the edge.

"Hey…" Aeris said weakly, "I don't get it…I lay down to take a nap…I thought it would make me feel better…but I'm just so tired now…"

"Just rest," Sephiroth told her, "Looks like you're going to see Mom and the professor a little sooner than I will,"

"Really? I'm glad," Aeris whispered.

"So just stay in bed until the portal's fixed. After that, they'll take you to a hospital and treat your illness,"

"Am I really that sick?"

"You'll get better," Sephiroth insisted.

Aeris put her hand on Sephiroth's. The swordsman winced- her hand was ice-cold.

"You're going away, though," Aeris' voice held a hint of sadness.

Sephiroth sighed, conflicted.

"I…won't leave if you don't want me to,"

"But you're our strongest fighter," Aeris protested, "Don't stick around just for my sake. I'm sure someone else will take care of me,"

"I'll look after her while Reidmar works on the gateway," Medea announced as she walked into the room.

Aeris managed a small smile. "There- see? Don't worry about me,"

She closed her eyes.

Medea went over to Sephiroth. "You really shouldn't stay here. We don't want you to catch the virus as well,"

Sephiroth stood up. "I understand," he said as he left the room.

* * *

He sat in the living room of the house he and Aeris had been staying in. Looking out the window, he sighed. 

_I let Jenova's influence get the best of me again,_ he thought miserably. _Only this time, it was worse. I could barely tell where my thoughts ended and hers began. And this time, I couldn't protect her…_

"Sephiroth?"

The swordsman looked up to see Vincent and Medea standing in the open doorway.

"Are you all right?" Vincent asked.

Sephiroth laughed bitterly. "Aeris is seriously ill, and Meteor's been summoned. What do you think?"

Medea hesitated, and then finally asked: "What is your plan now?"

Sephiroth closed his eyes for a moment, before finally turning around to face her and Vincent.

"Nothing's changed," he said finally. "I came to deal with Jenova,"

Vincent nodded silently.

"But the truth is…I'm afraid. Twice…I nearly lost control…"

"What do you mean?" Medea asked gently.

"Twice…" Sephiroth said, "I nearly hurt her. If I hadn't stopped myself, I may have done something unforgivable. If anything, this is why I should quit this journey. If I could…do what I almost did to _her_, then what about everyone else? I don't want to do something I'll regret for the rest of my life,"

Vincent looked at Medea, who sighed.

"But I'm going, regardless," Sephiroth said.

The two looked at him, surprised.

"Jenova took my mother away from me. Aeris may die because of her. And now she's trying to destroy the Planet. Mental illness or not…I can't ever let this go. I will be the one to kill Jenova…or give her peace…whatever you wish to call it. I don't care,"

Vincent nodded. "I'm glad to hear that,"

"So long…" Sephiroth continued, "As I can count on everyone to stay with me…and stop me from doing committing anymore sins,"

Vincent looked at his son. Never had Sephiroth ever requested any kind of moral support from anyone like that. Never had Sephiroth seemed so vulnerable, much less admit it freely. Even on that day eighteen years ago, when he rescued a frightened little boy from the Shinra labs, the boy had tried his hardest to keep cool at the sight of a complete stranger bursting into his room. To see him so hopeless now was wrong on so many levels.

"All right, Sephiroth," Vincent conceded. "We've got your back,"

"You can count on us," Medea added.

Sephiroth heaved a sigh. "I can only hope that what Aeris did can hold Meteor off until we can get back to Jenova,"

"We still have a chance," Medea told him, "Cid is still waiting for us. We'll follow WEAPON and deal with them. And in the meantime, the hospital will do all they can for Aeris. Rest assured, no one is going to let Aeris die anytime soon,"

"Let's go," Sephiroth headed for the living room, where everyone was still waiting.

* * *

A/N: …Please put down those rocks…I bruise easily. 

Seriously though, just bear with me. Any other reassurance I can offer concerning Aeris would only be a spoiler of what's to come.


	22. Ch 22: Shattered And Scattered

Chapter 22: Shattered and Scattered

"And the vice-president also flies," Jessie mused as she sat behind Rufus in one of the planes.

The young executive sat in the pilot's seat, while the man originally hired to bring the plane over, acted as co-pilot. Next to Jessie sat Barrett, and behind them sat Cloud and Tifa.

Rufus smirked confidently as he continued to guide the small craft through the air.

"How much longer?" Barrett asked impatiently.

Rufus rolled his eyes. "We only took off a minute ago,"

"Jessie said that one of them was spotted near Corel," Barrett huffed angrily, "Maybe you don't care about your hometown, but I care about mine!"

"It's an airplane- not a rocket," Rufus replied coolly, "We'll get there when we get there. If you don't like it, there's parachutes in the back. Help yourself,"

"Smart-ass…" Barrett muttered under his breath,

Jessie had gotten straight to work in tracking the path of the four WEAPONs before they left. Several new sightings had popped up in the last half-hour. The one Sephiroth had described as Ruby WEAPON had been last seen burying itself into the Corel Desert.

There was a sighting of the "Diamond" WEAPON traveling near Wutai. Rufus' other pilot agreed to fly Vincent, Sephiroth, Zack, Tseng and Reno over there.

That left Cid and Biggs to wait for further news. For the time being, the Highwind would be left to fly over to Fort Condor. Elmyra, Dyne, Eleanor, Wedge, and a few other members of the Midgar branch of Avalanche were hiding out there for the time being.

The other two WEAPONs hadn't been spotted yet.

Tifa shook her head sadly. "Poor Aeris. I hope she pulls through,"

Jessie sighed. "Yeah. Y'know, I've only known her a little over a month, but it's gonna be weird not having her around anymore. I feel bad for Sephiroth too. I can tell the guy's hurting,"

"I've know that girl since she was a toddler," Barrett said. "If she dies…"

"She won't," Jessie said sharply.

Tifa nodded. "Right. We're gonna take on WEAPON, then Jenova. And then, when we're done, Aeris will be waiting for us,"

Jessie nodded in silent agreement. _We're all gonna be alright…aren't we…?_

* * *

"Welcome back, Biggs," Elmyra hugged the young man, "For Odin's sake- you've gotten so thin! Let's go find you something to eat,"

Biggs smiled and let the older woman lead him into the kitchen, where she turned on the light and opened the refrigerator.

"Really- you shouldn't bother," he said, "It's two in the morning, I'll fix my own late-night snack,"

"I suppose," Elmyra sighed, "It's just that I haven't heard from you all in over a week. Is everyone all right?"

It was Biggs' turn to sigh now. "Not exactly," he confessed, "Aeris is really sick, and Sephiroth's kind of a mess right now,"

Elmyra looked alarmed. "What do you mean she's sick?"

"That virus that Jenova gave to the Ancients two-thousand years ago," Biggs explained, "She gave it to Aeris. They don't know what's gonna happen to her. You heard about Aeris' parents, right?"

Elmyra nodded.

"They're gonna send her over to see them, and see if they can do anything for her over there,"

"She's so young," Elmyra said, "I can't believe this is all happening,"

"Yeah," Biggs agreed.

"How's Vincent taking all of this?"

Biggs shrugged. "All right. You know Vincent. Can't tell what he's thinking,"

"He needs a break," Elmyra said absently, "He's always pushed himself to the limit. Ever since I met him ten years ago, he's always been like that,"

"You and Vincent go back a long ways, don't you?"

Elmyra smiled. "I remember the day I first met Vincent. I must say, he was quite the eyesore with that getup he always wears. Honestly though, I don't know if he'll ever get rid of that ratty old cape. Back then, I didn't know what to think,"

"Where did you meet him, if you don't mind my asking?"

"It was at the train station. I was waiting for the colonel to come back. He'd written me, telling me he was coming home on leave. So I waited every day at the train station. So did Vincent. Every day I was there, so was he. I thought he was some kind of bum at first, but after really looking at him, there was no way I could keep thinking that. No bum would have that kind of elegance about him the way Vincent did,"

Biggs began to pour himself a glass of orange juice, listening quietly as Elmyra continued to speak:

"Then one day…I found him lying at the bottom of the steps leading to the train. Apparently, he'd been shot at. It turned out to be nothing serious. A couple of bullets had grazed each of his legs. I'd had a potion on me, so I used it on him. He sure did heal fast. Eventually, we got to talking.

"Nothing special, really. I told him about my husband, and about his thoughts on the Wutai war. Neither my husband nor I supported the idea of Shinra expanding their empire by force. Vincent agreed, obviously. Then before he left, he'd handed me one of Avalanche's old newsletters. He took off, and I didn't see him again for some time,"

"Vanishing mysteriously into the night, huh?" Biggs mused.

"Yes," Elmyra chuckled, "I suppose so,"

Her expression sobered. "It was the day that they delivered the news that my husband had been killed…and there you have it. Three days later, I emailed the contact at the back of the newsletter. Vincent recognized my name, and came over the next day. I decided I would help Avalanche any way I could,"

"And now we stand where we are," Biggs finished. He picked up his cup and drank the rest of his juice. "Delicious! Man, I'm bushed! Climbed a huge mountain for nothing, and it's catching up to me now,"

"There's an extra bed in Wedge's room," Elmyra told him, "First door down the hallway to your right,"

Biggs stood up. "Thanks. 'Night, Mrs. G,"

"Goodnight, Biggs,"

Elmyra watched the young man leave the kitchen, then proceeded to pour a glass of juice for herself.

_Vincent…this all may end soon. When it does…what then? Will you stay with me, or go riding off into the sunset…?_

* * *

Vincent sat in the co-pilot's seat as the pilot guided Rufus' second plane through the sky. Tseng and Reno sat behind them, while in the back row, Zack and Sephiroth sat silently.

"Heh," Reno snickered, "So Wutai busted its ass to win the war, only to get annihilated by some big monster the Planet unleashed. Talk about irony…"

"Not if we're able to get to WEAPON first," said Vincent.

Reno raised a skeptical eyebrow. "So you figure our guns and shit are gonna kill that thing? Even though it was the Planet itself who released it? I dunno, man. This could get interesting,"

Zack grinned. "The bigger they are, the harder they fall, right?"

Reno laughed. "I like your way of thinking, man,"

"Has Wutai been alerted about WEAPON?" Tseng asked.

"I spoke with Lord Godo over the phone just before we boarded the plane," Vincent answered. "The whole country should be on alert by now,"

"Hey, I can see land coming up!" Zack exclaimed.

"Yep- we're almost there," the pilot announced, "Just keep your seatbelts on. We'll be there in a few minutes,"

* * *

"There hasn't been any sign of this thing you call WEAPON," Lord Godo said to Vincent as the group all sat in the nobleman's living room. "Though there haven't been any further reports so far,"

"WEAPON has probably settled into some kind of hiding place," Vincent said thoughtfully.

"The sea is the only place a large creature could hide around here," Godo told him, "I'll send our troops over to the beaches as soon as possible,"

Vincent stood up. "If there's nothing else, I might as well return to the inn with the others and wait for word on the situation,"

Godo stood up and bowed politely. Vincent returned the gesture and walked out the door.

He hadn't taken more than five steps before nearly being run over by someone.

"Hey, watch where you're going, old man!" a young girl exclaimed.

"Perhaps if you weren't in such a hurry, you would have done the same yourself," Vincent replied evenly.

"Hey- this is _my_ house!" the girl argued, "I can do what I want! And why aren't you bowing? Don't you know who I am?"

Godo appeared behind Vincent. "Yuffie," he said wearily, "Stop bothering my guest and go to your room,"

"But Dad, I was gonna go to the woods!" Yuffie protested.

"As of now, we're in a state of emergency," Godo told her, "Go to your room and find something to do there,"

Yuffie stomped her foot. "This is crap!"

"Get to your room before I give you something to whine about!" Godo ordered his daughter. "Just be thankful my belt isn't made of leather like the ones back east!"

Yuffie quickly dashed down to the room at the end of the hallway and slammed the door behind her.

"You'll have to excuse her," Godo sighed, "She's only eleven, but she's already going through her rebellious stage,"

Vincent nodded. "My son was fifteen when he went through that stage,"

"What did you do?"

"Pretty much the same as what you just did. I'll admit though, it's not easy. Though you've got your child with you 24/7. I'm sure that doesn't make it any easier,"

Godo chuckled. "You have no idea,"

* * *

"Where's Sephiroth?" Reno asked as he, Tseng and Zack sat in the Turtle's Paradise bar and grill.

"Holed up in his room again," Zack answered.

Reno and Tseng looked at their drinks uncomfortably.

"Aren't you gonna get a drink?" Reno asked Zack, looking at the soldier's plate of food.

"Nah," Zack said, "I gotta be ready for anything. Plus…I'd rather have the next day to recover from my hangover,"

"Soon as this is all over," Reno said, "Me and my buddy Rude have gotta take you out drinking. You've got no tolerance, yo. Only a couple forties and you were smashed,"

"I don't even know how I made it through the next day," Zack admitted as he began stuffing his face. He then stopped eating as his eyes came to rest on a very long, thin sword that hung on the wall.

"Excuse me," Zack waved to a waiter, "But what's up with that sword?"

The waiter looked at the wall and smiled. "Ah, that's the Masamune," he told him, "Nearly twenty years ago, it was forged by a sword smith of the same name. Supposedly, Shinra had an experiment to create the perfect soldiers. And the perfect soldiers required the perfect swords. What you see there is actually the prototype. It was ultimately rejected in favor of the kind of sword you carry. Actually, even the strongest of the members of SOLDIER could barely lift that thing. Since the sword was such an embarrassment, Masamune gave this place his sword, ultimately concentrating on creating lighter blades with just as much durability,"

"Yet, you display it so grandly?" Tseng asked.

Reno shrugged. "Why not? That thing's pretty badass. I think it works,"

"Is there anything you want me to get for you gentlemen?" the waiter asked.

Reno and Tseng raised their empty mugs expectantly.

"Right away, sirs,"

* * *

_What the hell am I doing?_

That thought kept coming back to Sephiroth as he sat on his bed, staring out the window.

_If only I had simply stayed with Aeris instead of running off to join Avalanche…_Sephiroth thought,_ I realized I felt something for her and thought the worst. What was I scared of? I never really had to worry about losing control until Jenova came into the picture. My paranoia is the reason Aeris is bedridden with a deadly disease…_

He couldn't deny it anymore. There was no point. He was finally able to admit to himself that things between him and Aeris _had_ changed. Predatory or not, he couldn't lie to himself that she was still just his "little sister". If he could have his way right now, the two would move back to Fort Condor and live out the rest of their lives in peace.

But now, there were too many obstacles in the way. President Shinra still wanted both him and Aeris, the Planet itself was in danger, and Aeris was fighting for her own life.

_I can't control what happens to Aeris…_Sephiroth thought miserably,_ but I'll be damned if I let Jenova or President Shinra have their way._

_And yet, you can't even come out of your own room…_his subconscious taunted him.

A knock on the door brought Sephiroth out of his thoughts.

"Sephiroth?" Vincent's voice came from outside. "Are you all right?"

The swordsman stood up and opened the door.

"I'm well enough," he told his father, "Any news?"

"Nothing yet," Vincent replied, "Come to the Turtle's Paradise with me. You need to eat something,"

Sephiroth sighed. "Very well,"

Vincent nodded. "Good. I thought it would take more effort to get you out of your room,"

Sephiroth stiffened impatiently as he followed his father out of the room. "It's not as if I've suffered a nervous breakdown,"

"Forgive me. Call it fatherly concern, if you will,"

Just then, a bell could be heard ringing outside. The bell was soon followed by a loud siren.

Vincent and Sephiroth looked at each other. No questions needed to be asked.

"Let's go," Vincent said.

The two hurried out of the inn.


	23. Ch 23: Apotheosis

Chapter 23: Apotheosis

"Damn!" Reno exclaimed as he stared at the sight before him.

A humongous, grayish creature hovered in the air off in the distance. Several ninjas and Wutaian soldiers stood in the city, ready to defend against any sudden attacks. Zack and Tseng were right next to Reno.

Sephiroth and Vincent arrived on the scene, fully armed.

"Get the children somewhere safe!" someone screamed.

Several of the adults were already leading many frightened children off to the Da Chao caves.

"Yuffie- go with them!" Godo ordered as they both ran outside the house.

Yuffie obeyed and ran over to the group, following them into the mountains.

Without warning, Diamond WEAPON lurched forward, bearing down into the main part of the city.

"_LIGHTNING!!!_"

Several large bolts struck the large creature, stopping it in its path.

Sephiroth smirked as he lowered his fist, containing a mastered bolt materia inside the silver bangle he wore on his wrist.

"Looks like lightning is the way to go!" Sephiroth shouted to everyone, "Use it as much as you all can!"

"Shit!" Reno cursed, "Mine's not mastered!"

Sephiroth immediately popped his bolt materia out of the silver bangle, and tossed it over to Reno. He likely wouldn't need it anyway, seeing as Reidmar had given him his Ultima materia before he'd left the city of the Ancients.

Having recovered from the shock of the attack somewhat, WEAPON regained its bearings and continued to swoop down. However, the small army had heeded Sephiroth's words, and began casting their own lightning spells on the monster.

As the monster continued to hover, stunned once again, Sephiroth made his move. Concentrating hard, he soared up into the air and stabbed at Diamond WEAPON. His eyes widened in horror as the blade snapped right off the hilt.

Before he could do anything to stop it, WEAPON dove to the ground, crashing into the Turtle's Paradise. Sephiroth dropped the hilt and flew after it, raising his other arm, the bangle on which held Reidmar's Ultima materia. He then unleashed the fury of the materia on the creature, taking the rest of the building down with it.

After a minute, the dust cleared, and the Planet's guardian got to its feet. One of its arms had been severed.

Sephiroth landed on top of the rubble that was once a two-story building. Out of the corner of his eye, however, he spotted what looked to be a sword jutting out of the top of the pile. The blade seemed to be about three feet long.

_Perfect…_he thought as he went over to the sword and pulled it out. To his surprise though, the weapon turned out to be a good six feet in length. A menacing grin appeared on his face as he turned to face the creature.

"You're in the way…" he hissed.

Floating up into the air, he stabbed the Masamune into the monster's bloody stump. Howling in pain, WEAPON swiped at Sephiroth with its other arm, only for the swordsman to gracefully dodge the attack.

Sensing that it had met its match, the creature spread its wings and flew off toward the Da Chao mountains.

"The children!!" a woman screamed, horrified.

_You're not getting away just yet…_Sephiroth thought as his eyes narrowed dangerously.

He flew off after the monster.

* * *

"I'm scared!" a little boy whined.

"Suck it up, Shake!" Yuffie snapped at him. "You're supposed to be training to become one of the Five Mighty Gods! The Planet knows why, if you're gonna be a little crybaby over this!"

Shake ran over to Yuffie and kicked her in the shins.

"OW!!! YOU LITTLE BRAT!!!" Yuffie took off after him.

The two sped into the maze-like tunnels before the adults could follow them.

Sephiroth smirked maliciously as he flew after the creature. Never before had the heat of battle fired him up the way it was now. Never before did he have the chance to lose himself the way he was now.

As he soared through the air, a memory long forgotten flashed through his mind...

* * *

"_You don't belong here, you grey-haired freak!"_

_Eighteen-year-old Sephiroth regarded the two other teenagers calmly as the three stood in an isolated area of the beach._

"_Just get the hell out of Costa Del Sol!" the taller of the two boys growled._

"_Who says I don't belong here?" Sephiroth replied coolly._

"_We do!" the shorter boy answered._

"_I beg your pardon," Sephiroth said sarcastically, "I didn't know that you two were the leaders of this province,"_

_The taller boy threw a punch aimed at Sephiroth's face. The silver-haired youth caught the boy's fist effortlessly._

"_Oh, you think you're so hot, huh?" the tall boy sneered._

"_Maybe you should tell your kid sister not to go wandering around by herself, huh?" the shorter boy taunted._

_Sephiroth's eyes narrowed upon hearing the boy's subtle threat. Still holding the taller boy's fist, he threw the kid to the ground and tackled his companion. He quickly grabbed his victim's arm and twisted it behind his back._

"_You can threaten me all you like," Sephiroth hissed into the boy's ear, "But if you _ever_ touch my sister, I'll kill you both!"_

_The taller boy then jumped on Sephiroth, who quickly flung him into the trunk of a nearby palm tree. Sephiroth then began slowly twisting the other boy's arm even more, and found himself enjoying the youth's agonized screaming._

_After half a minute, the kid finally passed out from the pain. No sooner than that, a hard leather boot kicked Sephiroth hard in the ribs. The force of the unexpected blow sent him rolling a few feet from the helpless boy. Before he could look up at his assailant, a strong hand jerked him to his feet, where he found himself looking into the furious eyes of his father._

"_What the hell is wrong with you?!" Vincent growled, "Are you _trying_ to attract unwanted attention?!"_

"_But they were-!"_

_"I don't care what they were doing!" Vincent interrupted his son, "They're a couple of punks! What can they possibly do to you?!"_

"_Not me- they were threatening Aeris!"_

_Vincent's expression only softened just a little bit. "You can't stay here anymore," he decided, "You've done too much damage. We're going back to your house to start packing,"_

_Sephiroth nodded miserably._

_Vincent looked around at the two unconscious teenagers. "As far as Aeris is concerned," he said, "Costa Del Sol is a popular vacationing spot for Turks this time of year. For her to know the real reason we're leaving may very well damage your relationship with her. That child adores you. Don't ruin things between the two of you just because you can't control your temper. Let's go…"_

* * *

Sephiroth pushed the thought out of his mind as he caught up to Diamond WEAPON. The creature was now hovering near one of the many caves on the mountain. 

_No one will interfere this time…_he thought as he raised his arm to cast another Ultima spell.

Just then, the sound of two children screaming stopped him. Sephiroth cursed as he remembered this was where the children were supposed to be hiding. Had he cast that spell, they might very well have been hit.

_What the hell has gotten into me? It's as if the sight of that creature's blood…as if it really does something to me…_

Seeing Sephiroth distracted, WEAPON took the opportunity to open its mouth. A light began to emanate from inside, and before Sephiroth could react, he was hit with a large beam.

The swordsman slammed into the edge of the mountain, where he bounced off the rocks, and tumbled down the steep slope before crashing to the ground below.

Satisfied that its opponent was finally done for, the wounded creature turned its attention back to the two children who were now trapped in the cave.

* * *

"Holy shit!!" Reno exclaimed watching the spectacle from a distance, "That thing freaking took out _Sephiroth!_"

_I wouldn't bet on it…_Vincent thought smugly.

"Why are we just standing here?" Zack asked impatiently, "We should be helping him!"

"We'd be better off seeing if one of Scarlet's crazy cannons will actually blast that thing," Reno said uncertainly.

"Not a bad idea," Tseng remarked, "We must really be in bad shape,"

"The hell?!" Zack exclaimed as he pointed at a strange light coming from the bottom of the mountain.

Vincent turned to Godo. "What is that?" he asked.

Godo scowled. "I thought it was one of your tricks,"

The light grew larger and brighter until everyone watching found themselves forced to shield their eyes.

Zack was the first to open his eyes. What he saw made his mouth drop open in shock.

The light had disappeared. Hovering in front of WEAPON was a being that looked exactly like Sephiroth. However, the being was twice the size of Sephiroth, with six white wings instead of legs flapping below its waist. One large black wing protruded from its shoulder.

"Dear Planet…" Vincent whispered, having opened his eyes as well.

"What _is_ that thing?" Godo asked.

"…My son," Vincent replied simply.

* * *

_Is this my true form?_ Sephiroth wondered as he looked over at the black wing that had replaced his arm.

WEAPON roared again.

"So be it…" Sephiroth growled as he unleashed the strongest lightning spell he'd ever cast.

_My materia slots all fell off…_

The monster was still just barely flying.

Sephiroth smirked as he raised his arms, casting an Ultima spell. That one sent the creature plummeting to the ground.

"Wow!!" Yuffie exclaimed as she crawled closer to the opening to get a better view of the fight.

"What are you doing?!" Shake exclaimed, "That grey-haired monster is still out there!"

"You're such an idiot!" Yuffie snapped, "_That_ guy isn't the enemy! He just creamed the monster! I wanna see him finish it off! C'mon! Be a man!"

Shake gulped before he crawled to the opening next to Yuffie. The two looked down at the ground where Sephiroth had flown down to the fallen WEAPON.

They watched as Sephiroth cast one last spell on the creature before two hands grabbed them each and yanked them to their feet. One of the adults dragged them both back into the tunnels while angrily reprimanding them.

* * *

Vincent, Zack, Reno and Tseng warily made their way toward the Da Chao mountains together. They hadn't seen or heard anything for a few minutes, deciding it was safe to approach the area and round up the refugees.

Upon approaching the base of the mountains, the four stopped in utter shock at the sight before them.

The creature formerly known as Diamond Weapon lay sprawled across the rocks. There were several lacerations all over its body. Its head was missing. After looking around, the missing part was found impaled on top of a dead tree trunk sticking out of the ground.

Vincent looked around until he finally found Sephiroth, back to his normal human form. The swordsman lay unconscious underneath a tree, the Masamune not three feet away from him.

He went over to his son and nudged him with his foot. "Sephiroth?"

The swordsman groaned, but only stirred a little before not moving again.

"I just don't know what the hell's going on anymore," Reno muttered as he looked around.

* * *

"Ah, you're all recovered?" Godo asked as Sephiroth stepped out of the inn and approached the impromptu celebration later that evening.

Sephiroth nodded and held up the Masamune. "Whose sword is this anyway? I wanted to return it to its owner,"

An old man standing next to Godo stepped forward. "That would be my creation," he said, "My name is Masamune. Twenty years ago, I forged that sword as a prototype for Shinra's army. However, I got carried away in my quest for glory. No one was ever able to use that sword. At least not until you came along. It's good to know that my namesake isn't a complete failure. That sword is yours now,"

Sephiroth looked at the long blade. "Thank you," he said, bowing politely, "I'm honored to receive such a gift,"

"Then I'm sure you wouldn't mind accepting this as well?" Masamune asked as he handed Sephiroth another sword, about half the size of what Sephiroth was carrying. The new weapon was incredibly light. Sephiroth set down his sword as he unsheathed the new sword, which looked brand-new.

"That is my latest creation," Masamune said, "It's called the Muramasa. As durable as the Masamune, yet light as a feather. Good for smaller swordsmen, or even swordswomen,"

Zack went up to Sephiroth and began eyeing the swords. "You lucky bastard," he commented appreciatively.

"Hey!"

Sephiroth looked to see Yuffie running over to him.

"You're like, so amazing!" the girl exclaimed, "How did you do that? Where did those wings come from? How did you grow like that?"

"I'm still trying to figure the details of that out for myself," Sephiroth admitted, "I'm just relieved that no one was injured,"

"Yes, Yuffie owes you her life," Godo said smiling. "Don't you?" he asked his daughter pointedly.

Yuffie briefly made a face before humbly bowing before Sephiroth. "I offer my deepest gratitude to you," she said, as if reading from a script.

Reno and Tseng walked up to the group.

"So what's next?" Tseng asked Vincent.

"The others are on standby in the Corel Desert," Vincent told him, "They're trying to figure out a way to flush Ruby WEAPON out into the open. So far, it's still burrowed in the quicksand around the prison,"

"In the meantime," Godo said brightly, "You're all welcome to stay as Wutai's honored guests. It's the least we can do after all you've done for us. Anything you need tonight, just ask,"

"You have our gratitude," Vincent said.

_BRRATTTT!!! _Reno blew a loud fart.

"Oh, GROSSNESS!!!" Yuffie squawked, "Gawd- you've _gotta_ be from Midgar if you're _that_ crude!"

"Yuffie!" Lord Godo was horrified, "These men just helped save our country from what could have been a complete disaster! How can you be that impertinent?!"

"But he just _farted_! Couldn't you hear it?"

"Shut up right this instant!"

"Make me! OW- LET GO!!!"

"So help me, Yuffie- I will find a branch and-!"

"And _what?!_ Whoop me right in front of these people?! Oh, I'm sure the papers will _love_ that!"

"You ungrateful little-!" 

Reno leaned back and sighed. "They remind me of my own family, y'know? Maybe I'll visit them next time I'm back in Junon…"


	24. Ch 24: A Hero To Lead Them

Chapter 24: A Hero To Lead Them

Barrett stared angrily at the large monster in the distance.

It had taken a while, but while the majority of the residents had either taken shelter in the coal mines, or evacuated the area completely, several of the miners had stayed behind, setting up bombs in hopes of flushing Ruby WEAPON out into the open.

After about a half-hour's worth of explosions, the creature finally began to emerge from the quicksand. Clearly enraged over being disturbed, it headed toward the main part of town, where several armed residents had followed it to.

Rufus glanced at the other four party members. "Everyone has their materia equipped, correct?"

Cloud, Tifa, Barrett and Jessie all nodded.

The residents began shooting at WEAPON. Cloud, Barrett and Rufus did the same.

Tifa cast a Comet spell, which seemed to have an effect on the monster. Seeing that work, many others began to cast the same spell over and over.

Shrieking loudly, WEAPON swooped down to where everyone stood.

"SCATTER!!!" Barrett shouted as he ducked out of the way of WEAPON's claws.

The large group of vigilantes spread out across the city square. The large red monster glanced around the area confusedly, as if no longer sure who to pick as its target.

Cloud took the opportunity to open-fire at WEAPON's face. WEAPON held up its claw, using its rock-solid limbs to shield itself from the gunfire.

"Aim at its arms!" someone shouted, "Maybe if we blow its hands off, we can finish it off quicker!"

Barrett grinned. "I like that!" he shouted as he began to fire his miniature gatling gun again.

"We need to get him from behind!" Tifa yelled as she began to run along the street, trying to face WEAPON's back.

"Wait, Tifa!" Cloud shouted as he ran after her.

Ruby WEAPON looked around and noticed the two teenagers running through the empty street. Not wasting any time, it raised its claw and swiped at the two.

"DUCK!!!" Cloud screamed as he tackled Tifa to the ground. He could feel a strong gust as WEAPON's claw whizzed by his head.

"Damn kids…!" Barrett cursed as he fired at WEAPON's now exposed head.

The monster was thrown back a bit, but still unfazed.

"RUN, YOU STUPID KIDS!!!" Barrett yelled at them.

Cloud and Tifa scrambled to their feet quickly and were able to make their way into an alley.

"Try casting another one of those spells," Cloud suggested.

Tifa let loose another Comet spell before collapsing to her knees.

"You all right?" Cloud asked worriedly.

"Yeah," Tifa panted, "Hey, you don't have an ether on you, do you?"

Cloud immediately reached into his pocket and pulled out a small vial, handing it over to his friend. Tifa opened it and drank, making a face the whole time.

"They can give us the means to cast spells, but they still can't make potions and ether taste good," Tifa muttered as she tossed the empty vial into a nearby garbage can. "But whatever. I'm good to go,"

Cloud smiled and gave her a quick nod as he turned his attention to the back of WEAPON's head.

* * *

"This thing's built like Fort Condor!" Jessie exclaimed as she, Rufus and Barrett ran toward Rufus' plane.

"That's why we need a different plan," Rufus said, "If we confuse the hell out of that thing, it's going to end up letting its guard down, making it easy for everyone else to finish it off,"

"What, are you some kinda stunt pilot too?" Jessie asked.

"Trust me," Rufus said to her.

They reached the small plane and opened the doors, climbing inside.

* * *

"Go easy with the magic, Teef," Cloud said as he reloaded his gun. "I don't have any more ethers,"

"What else am I supposed to do?" Tifa panted, "My fists and feet are all I have, and they're not going to do squat on this thing!"

"Don't over-exert yourself!"

"I'm not made of glass!"

Cloud was about to fire again when he noticed a familiar-looking airplane zipping over the creature's head.

"Is that Rufus' plane?!" Tifa exclaimed as she watched the small aircraft whizzing by the monster again.

"I think so," Cloud said in wonder.

"Are they insane?" Tifa asked in disbelief.

Cloud raised an eyebrow. "Aren't we all insane for agreeing to fight this thing?"

Tifa smirked. "Good point,"

Cloud watched as WEAPON swung its claws at the plane. "Still, I've got nothing on Rufus…"

* * *

"SHIT!" Barrett swore, "He almost got us that time!"

"But he didn't," Rufus pointed out as he continued to maneuver the small plane around the monster's head.

"Do you always keep explosives in your planes?" Jessie asked as she lobbed another grenade at WEAPON while Barrett continued firing at it through the open door.

"I figured we might need something considering what we're up against," Rufus answered as he steered the plane about twenty feet above WEAPON's head, "Managed to call in a favor. Good to know money isn't the _only_ key to winning this war,"

"Shit- why won't this son of a bitch die already?!" Barrett exclaimed as he reloaded his gatling gun.

"We're up against the Planet's own handiwork," Jessie told him as she chucked two grenades out the door, "I have to say- for being the host of all living things, the Planet sure isn't the brightest crayon in the box,"

"Check under the seat closest to you," Rufus told her, "I think we're going to have to step things up a bit,"

Jessie ducked back inside and looked underneath the seat, pulling out a box. Opening it, she found a few red materia orbs.

"Pass them around," Rufus requested as he held out his hand.

Jessie handed an orb to Rufus, and then handed another to Barrett.

"SHIVA!!" Barrett shouted, summoning the ice spirit from within the materia.

The townspeople watched in awe as a giant, scantily-clad woman with blue skin appeared out of nowhere. The woman waved her hand, and WEAPON was suddenly assaulted by several chunks of ice. The woman then disappeared as suddenly as she came.

"Bull's-eye!" Jessie exclaimed, "My turn! KJATA!!"

* * *

"Get down!!" Cloud shouted as he and Tifa hid behind a dumpster in order to avoid the large bull-like summon's flying debris.

"We should get back," Tifa suggested worriedly, "I think WEAPON is about to fall any time now. We need to get out of here before we end up getting caught in the middle of all this,"

"Yeah, fine," Cloud said reluctantly as he and Tifa began to back away from the area.

* * *

"Damn!" Rufus growled, "We're running low on fuel- I'm gonna have to land this thing,"

"WEAPON's almost done for," Jessie said, "God, we were so close!"

"So we'll finish it off in a couple minutes," Barrett said, "Don't make no difference to me,"

Rufus eased the plane back down to the runway just outside of town.

"Shit!!" Jessie exclaimed pointing behind them, "WEAPON's following us! And there isn't anyone out here either!"

The plane had come to a stop, with WEAPON not thirty feet behind them.

"You said it was almost done for," Rufus told her, "It's no different now. Let's finish him off!"

He then inserted his materia orb into his gun. Closing his eyes, he pulled then trigger as he shouted:  
"KNIGHTS OF THE ROUND!!!"

Just as the familiar green mist gave way to the summon, WEAPON managed to get close enough to raise its claws and take a swing at Rufus.

The vice-president managed to duck out of the way, only to still get clipped on the side of the head. The sounds of the knights approaching began to fade as darkness overtook him.

* * *

"I think he's finally waking up!" Rufus could barely hear Tifa saying.

The young VP opened his eyes and looked around. He was lying in the bed of what looked like a hotel room. Tifa, Cloud, Barrett and Jessie were standing around the bed. Outside he could hear the busy sounds of Corel's residents.

"Hey, are you okay?" Jessie asked as she went over to the bed, "That was a pretty nasty blow to the head you took. Good thing the doctor got to you right away. He left to go tend to the other people who were wounded. There were quite a few,"

"What happened?" he asked softly.

"It's over," Tifa said happily, "WEAPON's gone thanks to you,"

Rufus looked at her and then shrugged. "Lucky shot. I guess that thing wasn't too fond of that particular summon,"

"They're trying to move the body into the desert so they can dump it back into the quicksand," Cloud told him.

"That'll take forever," Rufus commented, "They should have it airlifted. I'll see about getting someone out there as soon as possible,"

"Your popularity seems to have jumped after everyone saw you flying your plane around like that," Tifa said, "Everyone's talking about your crazy heroics,"

"Has it? Then they'll love it when I tell them we'll no longer be harassing them about us putting up a mako reactor here," Rufus mused, "My father figured they'd finally crack any day now. Won't he be angry to know I've spoiled all of his plans?"

"I'll believe it when I see it," Barret grumbled.

Rufus ignored him. "Now that everything seems to be resolved, we should get out of here,"

"Good plan, sir," Cloud said, "I got a phone call from SOLDIER Knightblade a few minutes ago. We'll be reconvening at the Ancient city tomorrow afternoon to figure out how we're going to deal with Jenova,"

Rufus looked thoughtful. "Well, in the meantime, since this place is in absolute chaos, why don't we spend the night at the Gold Saucer, seeing as we're so close? I can set us up in some nice rooms and everything. I think we deserve the night off for our hard work,"

Tifa's eyes widened. "The Gold Saucer? I haven't been there since I was twelve!"

"I've never been there ever," Cloud admitted.

"Thought you were broke," Jessie said to Rufus.

He smirked at her. "I've got connections,"

"Dare I ask…?"

Rufus chuckled. "I suppose you'll find out eventually,"

"Can you stand up?" Jessie asked him.

"I think so," Rufus shoved back the covers and climbed out of the bed, "Let's head over to the tram then,"

"Go on without me," Barrett said.

Rufus nodded before leaving the room with Cloud and Tifa.

"Aren't you gonna come with us, Barrett?" Jessie asked.

Barrett shook his head. "Nah, I'm here tonight. I gotta help my hometown out, y'know? You go enjoy yourself…just keep an eye on the one who's providing the fun, though,"

"So what- nothing that Rufus has done these past several days matters?" Jessie asked, "I mean…"

"God, Jessie- are you letting your guard down? He's from the _Shinra!_ You surf the net together a couple times and you're all buddy-buddy now? The guy's probably expecting that. I mean, Medea's married, Aeris is sick, and Tifa's just a kid who already likes that trooper. Guy's gotta have _some_ girl ready to-!"

"Don't finish that sentence," Jessie cut him off angrily.

"You _know_ his reputation with chicks!" Barrett argued, "I'm just saying be careful! You're too damn smart to get tangled with Shinra's crown prince,"

"Jessie!" Rufus called from the lobby downstairs, "The tram's gonna leave without us if you don't hurry up!"

"Coming!" Jessie called as she ran off.


	25. Ch 25: Date Night At The Gold Saucer

Chapter 25: Date Night at the Gold Saucer

Jessie looked around the food court, looking for a place to sit down and eat her dinner. Spotting a few empty tables in the corner, she went over there and sat down.

It was rather amusing when she thought of it. She'd just helped slay a powerful monster that had almost decimated Corel, and not one hour later, here she was eating fast food like nothing had happened.

_I thought I was jaded before…guess I wasn't._

And to top it off, she was at the Gold Saucer courtesy of Rufus Shinra- the man who was supposed to be one of her worst enemies. Tonight, she would be sleeping in one of the Gold Saucer's most luxurious rooms, thanks to him. Rufus Shinra…the cold-hearted, womanizing, greedy bastard. Rufus Shinra…the intelligent, hard-working computer whiz. It was impossible for Jessie to reconcile the image everyone saw, and the image that she now saw.

She thought about what Barrett had said right before she left. A month ago, Jessie would have agreed. But things were different now. The fact of the matter was, while Jessie had gotten along best with Biggs and Aeris, neither of those two were capable of satisfying Jessie's inner-techie. And strangely enough, the handsome and sophisticated Rufus ended up filling that void…and apparently, was about to fill it again.

"Care for some company?" Rufus asked as he approached her table with a tray.

"Sure," Jessie gestured for him to sit. "Where's your bodyguard?"

Rufus set his tray on the table and sat down. "Strife? I gave him the evening off. I've got another bodyguard for tonight,"

As if on cue, a large toy moogle carrying what looked like a cat on its head approached the table.

"Jessie, meet Cait Sith,"

"Pleased to meet you!" the cat extended its paw, which Jessie bewilderedly shook.

"One of the guys from urban development apparently has a lot of free time on his hands, so he built this," Rufus explained, "And he happens to be the friend I mentioned before,"

"Wait- you mean to tell me that this robot is your 'big connection'?" Jessie exclaimed.

Rufus chuckled. "You were expecting some mob guy?"

"Well…"

"Care for me to read your fortunes?" Cait Sith asked.

"Just keep an eye on things," Rufus instructed the robot, "Save your crackpot fortunes for the customers,"

"Yessir!" Cait Sith hopped away.

"I've always wanted to come here," Jessie said as she looked around. "This place is exactly what I thought it would be,"

"Have you checked out the arcade yet?" Rufus asked her before digging into his food.

"No. Is it any good?"

"The stuff in the main area isn't anything special," Rufus said, "But there's a back room that has twice as many games. That's the place worth checking out,"

Jessie took a bite out of her food. "Sounds like fun," she mumbled.

"Would you care to join me there after we're done eating then?"

"I'd love to," Jessie told him, "But I was actually gonna head over to the Event Square first,"

"What's at the event square?" Rufus asked.

"They're having some kind of performance," Jessie said, "You know, I used to catch shows every week before we left to…" She trailed off and looked away, embarrassed.

The executive smirked. "Before you decided to kidnap me? If this is what it's like, I should get abducted more often,"

"Anyway," Jessie continued, "I haven't seen anything in over a month, so I'm desperate. Even a play will do…would you like to come with me?"

"Sure, why not?"

Jessie smiled and continued to eat her dinner.

_Sorry, Barrett, but I guess I won't be taking your advice after all. If I'm mistaken, then I'm willing to pay the price since I'd deserve it…but I don't think I'm mistaken…_

* * *

Cloud woke from his nap to the sound of knocking. With a yawn, he got up and went to answer the door.

"Hey Cloud," Tifa greeted him.

"What's up?"

Tifa bit her lip nervously. "I was just thinking…why don't the two of us sneak off and hang out together?"

"Uh…" Cloud began to say. Before he could actually respond, Tifa grabbed his hand and pulled him out of the room.

"Come on, let's go!"

* * *

"Improv?" Rufus asked skeptically as he read the sign outside the theater.

"That should be interesting," Jessie commented as she and Rufus walked inside.

"We'll see," Rufus said skeptically.

They found two empty seats and sat down, sipping the sodas they'd picked up at the concessions stand. A couple minutes later, the lights dimmed, and man walked up onstage. He looked around, and began to speak:

"Long, long ago, an evil shadow appeared over the peaceful kingdom of Galdia. Princess Rosa was kidnapped by the evil dragon king, Valvados. What will become of her?"

Rufus gave the stage a thumbs-down sign.

"Oh, give it a chance," Jessie whispered.

"And just then," the narrator continued, "The legendary hero Alfred appears!"

Cloud stepped onto the stage, blushing furiously, and holding an old-fashioned sword and shield.

Jessie and Rufus nearly spit out their drinks.

A knight went up to him. "You must be the legendary hero…Alfred!"

Rufus snickered at the terrible acting.

"Please!" the knight said loudly, "Talk…to the king!"

Cloud shrugged and went over to a man dressed in regal robes.

"Oh, legendary hero, Alfred!" the king said to Cloud, "You have come to save my beloved Rosa! On the peak of a dangerous mountain dwells the evil dragon king, Valvados!"

"Then I will talk to the knight," Cloud said in a monotone voice.

He walked back over to the knight.

"I am but a lowly knight," the knight declared, "How can I help you?"

"I want to defeat Valvados," Cloud droned.

On cue, a man in a monster costume stumbled onstage, roaring loudly. In his arms was Tifa.

"What the hell are these two doing there?" Jessie whispered to Rufus.

"Maybe Tifa's here to save this show," Rufus suggested hopefully.

"I am the evil dragon king, Valvados!" the "monster" yelled, "I have not harmed the princess!"

"Please help me…legendary hero!" Tifa yelled uncertainly.

"I spoke too soon," Rufus muttered.

The dragon roared again. "Here I come, legendary hero Alfred! Yes, I already know your name!"

The knight began to yell as he charged at the Valvados. The dragon merely sidestepped the attack. The knight crashed to the floor and didn't move.

"What now, legendary hero?" the evil dragon king hissed, "Going back to the king? Or to consult the wizard? Where do you go from here?"

Cloud shut his eyes in disgust. He'd has enough of this stupid play.

He raised his sword. "I will go…home!" he shouted as he bolted off the stage and out the door, dropping the sword and shield.

"Cloud!!" Tifa yelled after him, "Be serious! If you didn't wanna be in the play…! Ugh! Now I'm mad!"

She struggled to break free from the dragon king's grasp.

"Gaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh!" the evil dragon king roared, "You dare ignore me?"

"Oh, shut up!" Tifa yelled as she kicked him in the shins. He howled in pain as he dropped her. She then ran out of the room. "Cloud!!"

"Oh my," the narrator commented, "What an unusually strong princess! And so the new legendary hero Rosa lives happily ever after!"

The crowd burst into wild applause.

Rufus looked around in disbelief. "People are actually applauding this crap?"

"You didn't think it was funny?" Jessie asked.

"Oh, those two kids are hilarious," Rufus acknowledged, "But the play was crap. Good thing I didn't have to pay to get in,"

"Wanna go to the arcade then?" Jessie asked, "Looks like it's more of the same here,"

"Let's," Rufus stood up. The two left the event square together.

* * *

"Cloud, get back here!" Tifa yelled as she chased him around the Wonder Square.

Cloud laughed as he kept running.

"You're such a jerk!" 

"Hey, I didn't even get a say in whether or not I wanted to do that stupid play in the first place!"

"Did you have to be such a jerk about it though?"

"Didn't really have a choice, did I?"

Tifa found herself fighting not to laugh.

Cloud glanced behind himself as he continued to run. "You think it's funny!" he accused her.

"I do _not!_" Tifa couldn't help but giggle. "Cloud, when I get my hands on you, you're gonna be in _so_ much trouble…!"

* * *

"What kind of a maniac are you?!" Rufus exclaimed as he and Jessie battled each other in a fighting game.

Jessie's character executed another "double sonic wave" on Rufus' character.

"I thought you said you were undefeated!" Jessie laughed as she continued to mash the buttons on the machine.

"I _was!_" Rufus insisted.

"Who the heck were you playing with then?" Jessie asked, "Because I'm totally kicking your ass!"

Rufus smirked. "I'm not done yet,"

He hit the buttons and moved the joystick in a certain sequence, causing fire to rain down on Jessie's character.

"Oh, you bastard!" Jessie exclaimed, "You did _not_ just do that!"

Rufus grinned evilly. "And what are you going to do about it?"

Jessie only laughed.

Rufus watched in disbelief as Jessie's character grabbed his in a headlock, and flipped the sprite upside-down, slamming it on its head.

"_K.O!_" the game announced, "_Player two wins!_"

Rufus stared at the screen, dumbfounded.

"That was fun," Jessie declared, "Too bad we're all out of tokens,"

Rufus glanced at his watch. "How long did we spend here? My god, we've been here over two hours,"

"Damn! Really?" Jessie checked her own watch. "Wow. Time flies when you're kicking someone's ass,"

"Hmm…intelligent _and_ cocky," he observed, amused. "I'll admit, I haven't been able to just let loose and play like this in a long time. I was beginning to forget how much fun it is,"

"Can I ask you something?" Jessie said suddenly.

"What is it?"

"Don't get me wrong," Jessie told him, "As incredible as it is that you've seen the light, wasn't your dream to run Shinra Inc.? There won't be much of a company left if you don't have mako to profit from,"

"We'll take a bit of a fall, yes," Rufus agreed, "But we'll simply switch back to electric power. If anything, it's even more of a challenge: to rebuild this company into something better. I've got so many plans for the future…and that's why I have no intention of letting some psychotic alien bitch kill me,"

"So hard to believe that this Jenova stuff is really happening," Jessie sighed, "Though it's sure made the feud between Avalanche and Shinra kinda pointless,"

"Since Avalanche won't have any more need to continue existing after I tear down the reactors…" Rufus said thoughtfully, "Would you be interested in working for the company once this is all over?"

Jessie shook her head in disbelief. "Working for Shinra…that'd be so weird…"

"Weirder than playing video games with its future president?"

"You know what I mean!"

"I suppose," Rufus acknowledged. "You don't have to answer right away. It's just something to think about,"

Jessie nodded. The two stood silently for a moment, while the room was filled with sounds of the other people playing.

Rufus looked out the large window at one of the cable cars gliding by.

"That looks fun," he remarked.

"What does?" Jessie asked.

Rufus pointed ahead. "The 'gondolas'. I remember riding them the last time I came out here. You get a great view of the place."

"Really?" Jessie looked intrigued.

"Yeah. Come on," Rufus headed for the door.

Jessie smiled and shrugged before following him out of the arcade.

* * *

"All right," Cloud grumbled as he and Tifa stepped off the gondola, "I went to the chocobo races with you. I took you to the game room. I took you to the haunted house, and I took you on the gondola. Do you finally forgive me for messing with the play?"

Tifa grinned mischievously. "You've been forgiven since about an hour ago, actually,"

"What!?"

"Just wanted to see how far you'd go with your whole atonement bit," Tifa giggled.

Cloud stared incredulously at her.

"Oh come on- was it so bad?" she asked.

"…No, I guess it wasn't," Cloud admitted shyly.

"Hey, are you hungry?" Tifa asked suddenly, "My stomach's been rumbling for the past ten minutes,"

"I guess I could go for a bite," Cloud admitted, "Lead the way,"

* * *

"So pretty…" Jessie commented as she watched the fireworks going off inside the gondola.

Rufus nodded in agreement.

"Reminds me…" she continued, "…about something Aeris said. It was about two days after we all found out she was a Cetra. Cloud had asked her about the Promised Land. She described it as a land of supreme happiness, where all Cetra would eventually return to,"

"No offense, but that sounds like a fairy-tale to me," Rufus told her.

Jessie chuckled. "That's what I said too. Aeris agreed with me, though. She said that if the promise of happiness lies in death, then what is the purpose of life?"

"She's a smart kid," Rufus commented.

"She said that after this was all over, she was going to find her own version of the Promised Land, in the world of the living. It's a beautiful thought, really, but now…you know, even if she does get better…with the life she's had here, why would she wanna come back? She's probably safer in that other world. Maybe that'll end up being her 'Promised Land'. It was kinda nice having a friend who was a girl- not to mention around my age. I'm always around Biggs and Wedge, it was nice to have something different,"

_All that fuss over another person_, Rufus mused. _But I think I'm beginning to understand finally…_

"Like you're tired of the idiocy coming from people your age, so you turn to people who are older?" Rufus guessed. He knew that feeling all too well.

Jessie laughed. "Eh, something like that, I guess,"

He then thought of something. "Why do you hate Reno and Tseng so much? I see how you look at them, especially Reno,"

Jessie stiffened, still not looking at Rufus.

"I hate all Turks," she said quietly, "Maybe Tseng has his head on straight, but Reno is exactly like the type who would get into a huge brawl in the middle of the street,"Rufus smirked. "Probably,"

"And he'd probably end up hurting innocent people as a result," Jessie went on.

"People like whom?" Rufus asked.

Jessie lowered her head. "Like my sister,"

"What about your sister?"

Jessie glared at him suddenly. "What would you care?"

Rufus looked out the window. "…If I didn't care, I wouldn't ask,"

Jessie closed her eyes and rested her head in her hand. Then she began to speak:

"It was a few years ago. My sister was coming home from work. She was walking along her usual route, minding her own business. Then a couple Turks decided to duke it out. One of them pulled out a gun just as she was walking by, and she ended up being hit by a stray bullet,"

"She was killed?"

Jessie shook her head. "We thought she wouldn't make it, but she pulled through in the end. Only, she lost the use of her legs. Of course, that Turk got away scot-free,"

"And that's why you hate them," Rufus concluded.

"Not like you'd understand," Jessie muttered, blinking back tears.

Rufus looked at her. "Look…I'm…sorry I brought any of this up. I wanted us all to have fun tonight. Not to relive painful memories,"

Jessie slowly looked up at the young executive. So different from the pictures she saw. No cold demeanor, no arrogant smirk. Just a guy who seemed concerned for a friend.

"I'll bet I could find out who that Turk was," Rufus told her, "You'd just have to tell me the exact date of that incident. That ought to narrow down the search considerably,"

"You'd do that for me?" Jessie asked in wonder.

"Well…yeah," Rufus admitted.

He then laughed. "God, never did I think I'd find someone close to my age who I thought was worth having a decent conversation with, much less in a group of eco-terrorists. But all that about 'diamonds in the rough', I guess is true,"

"Same could be said for how I feel about you," Jessie agreed.

Rufus raised an eyebrow. "And…how do you feel about me?"

They jerked suddenly as the gondola came to a stop. The two silently stood up and got out."Hope you enjoyed yourselves," the ticket-man said. "Have a good night,"

"…I guess I'm what one might call 'simple-minded'," Jessie said finally as they walked out of the Wonder Square together. "All I've ever thought about was computers, and later on, Avalanche. There's only a few people in my life I really concentrate on. Biggs, Wedge, and the rest of my family. I can't stop worrying about Aeris. And then you turned out to be pretty cool yourself…"

Rufus smiled. "Kind of like my own personal philosophy: most people aren't worth wasting your life on, so just concentrate on the few who _are_ worthy,"

Jessie raised an eyebrow. "'Worthy'? So I'm 'worthy' of your attention?"

"Oh, don't take it _that_ way, I just meant-!"

Jessie laughed. "No, I'm not offended. From anyone else, I'd see it as an insult…but I know that in your own twisted way, that's a supreme compliment you just implied there,"

"So then you wouldn't be completely repulsed if I did this…?" Rufus quickly leaned in and pressed his lips against Jessie's.

Jessie stiffened for a moment, completely caught off-guard. Then after a couple of seconds, she placed her hands on Rufus' shoulders and returned the kiss.

"Hey, get a room!" a kid jeered as he walked around the two of them.

_Well, given that the world could end in a few days… _Jessie mused as the kiss intensified. _Oh, to hell with it! I don't give a shit what the others think…it's my thing to deal with…not theirs._

They finally pulled away, both slightly out of breath.

"So, my room or yours?" Rufus said half-jokingly.

"Whichever's closer," Jessie answered straight away.

Rufus looked slightly surprised at first, but then smirked as he grabbed Jessie's hand and led her down the path to the old hotel.

* * *

"Here we are," Cloud announced as he and Tifa reached the door to her room.

Tifa's burgundy eyes shined brightly as she smiled. "Cloud…this night was amazing," she told him.

"Really?"

"Yeah. I had a lot of fun…thank you,"

Cloud looked around to make sure that no airplanes or drunken members of SOLDIER were around to interrupt them. He then closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and delivered a quick kiss to Tifa's lips.

"Goodnight," he whispered.

Tifa blushed slightly, then took Cloud's hand. She pulled him back toward her, and kissed him back, only this time, lingering for a few seconds.

She stepped back. "Goodnight, Cloud," she said softly.

Cloud laughed nervously. "Yeah…"

"We should do something like this again…" Tifa suggested hopefully.

Cloud beamed. "Sure!"

He then stumbled, but regained his footing as he turned and walked away.

_No way I'm going to let Jenova win now…_Tifa thought as she opened the door and went inside her room.

* * *

"Mister Vice-President?" Cait Sith called out as he knocked on Rufus' door the next morning.

A muffled groan came from inside.

"Rufus, sir, it's almost eight 'o clock. Your plans were for the four of you to be assembled by no later than nine. Cloud and Tifa are already waiting behind me,"

The door opened, and Rufus stuck his head out.

"You know, your voice is even more irritating when I've just woken up," he remarked.

"Eh? You look as if you're hiding something," Cait Sith twisted around, trying to look past Rufus. "Miss Jessie?! What are you doing getting dressed in Rufus' bedroom?"

Cloud and Tifa's mouths dropped open in shock.

Rufus grabbed Cait Sith by the scruff of his neck.

"You'd better relay a message to Mr. Tuesti," the vice-president hissed at the robot cat, "He'd better program some goddamn _boundaries_ into your system if he knows what's good for him. If it wasn't for the fact that you've got your uses, I'd rip out all your circuits right now,"

"I'll send him a memo ASAP, sir!" Cait Sith yelped, "Just don't hurt me, please!"

"It's all right, Rufus," Jessie said wearily as she appeared next to him fully clothed, save for her shoes and socks. Her hair was unbound and she absently pushed a lock of it out of her face. "They were bound to find out eventually,"

She then looked at the very uncomfortable Cloud and Tifa.

"You guys have fun last night?" she asked casually, "Loved that performance, by the way,"

Cloud looked away, mortified that someone he knew had actually seen him doing that stupid thing.

"So we'll meet downstairs in the food court in a few minutes?" Jessie suggested.

"Uh…sure," Tifa said, "Come on, Cloud,"

"I'm never going to live this down, am I?" Cloud muttered as Tifa led him away.

_Silly selfish Cloud…_Tifa thought with a sigh, _Jessie's the one who's not going to live things down…man…what the heck did I get myself into?_

She then looked back at Cloud, who was still pouting…that adorable pout.

…_Got myself into something really nice…_she thought as a slow smile spread across her face.


	26. Ch 26: Heir To The Throne

Chapter 26: Heir to the Throne

"Wait- back up," Sephiroth said to Medea as he stood in Reidmar's living room once again, "I thought you were planning to take Aeris through the gateway to be treated,"

"The doctor on the other side insisted on coming here himself to check Aeris out," Medea explained to him, "He didn't think it was safe to move her. But as it turns out, Aeris' condition may not be as grave as we thought,"

Sephiroth sighed inwardly, feeling a ton of bricks being lifted off his shoulders.

"So long as she gets enough rest and enough of the medicine he left us, there's no reason why Aeris can't be on her feet again in say…six weeks?"

The others began murmuring, all relieved.

"And the gateway is fixed?" Sephiroth asked.

Reidmar nodded and picked up a vial. "The doctor also left us with a vaccine for you to use. Once we administer it, you'll be all set to see Aeris in a couple of hours,"

"What about the rest of us?" Jessie asked, "Doesn't Vincent have Jenova cells too?"

"Not enough to matter," Medea answered.

"You're free to visit her, no more than two at a time," Reidmar addressed the others, "She's due to take her medicine though, so she might be just a little out of it,"

Vincent stood up and strode up the stairs, Medea following behind him.

"What a relief, huh?" Jessie sighed as she walked over to where Sephiroth stood.

_You have no idea…_Sephiroth thought.

"Come on," Jessie said to him, "Relax. Aeris isn't gonna wanna see you all uptight,"

"I should go get that vaccination," Sephiroth said as he walked away.

Jessie sighed and shook her head before heading toward the stairs to wait her turn.

* * *

"The Planet is afraid," Aeris said as Vincent and Medea stood near the bed. "Two of its guardians have been killed. I've tried to explain the situation, but it doesn't seem to understand. It's like a scared child,"

"Reidmar tries to reason with it as well," Medea said to Vincent, "But the Planet still can't completely trust Reidmar, since he's involved with the people destroying it's guardians,"

"It's speaking to me less and less," Aeris said sadly, "It thinks I've betrayed it as well. I don't know what to do. Half the battle is in keeping it calm,"

Vincent shook his head. "Try not to worry about that. How are you feeling?"

Aeris made a face. "The medicine they give me makes me act all goofy, and it tastes even worse than a hyper drink. Plus, they won't even let me get out of bed. I'm not even clammy anymore!"

"That's because you've been doing exactly as the doctor said for the past few days," Medea told her, "You'll be fine so long as you keep up treatment. So unfortunately, you have to stay in this city, in this room, in this bed, and take your medicine,"

Aeris sighed. "So no sightings of the other WEAPONs?"

"Nothing yet," Vincent explained, "They've probably found good hiding spots and are waiting to strike, just like with Wutai. But several other fighters of Avalanche are scattered all over, and everyone is on standby,"

"And Meteor?"

Medea looked grim. "It still looms over us, though it hasn't moved much,"

Vincent nodded. "The people everywhere are all holding their breath. Aeris, what exactly was your summoning supposed to do?"

"I think it's too far away for anything to work now," Aeris replied.

"Isn't that rather risky?" Vincent asked.

Aeris looked frustrated. "I don't know what else to do,"

"Try not to worry about it," Medea reassured her as she poured a glowing blue substance into a tablespoon.

Aeris' expression turned sulky as soon she saw the medicine.

"You know the drill," Medea said in a no-nonsense tone, "Open up…"

* * *

"Er…how are you feeling?" Tifa asked about five minutes later as she and Jessie stood in the room.

Aeris stuck her tongue out and blew a raspberry. "Dizzy," she slurred, "Feel dizzy. Always feel that way when they drug me. Drugs're bad, y'know. 'Cause…'cause that's what they say to us in school. I even remember the song we sang in fifth grade! Wanna hear the song?"

"That's not really necessary," Jessie said uneasily.

"They gave us T-shirts too," Aeris remembered, "I never wore it 'cause I don't like T-shirts. But maybe I should have someone get it for me…I think I still have it. It was like, ten sizes too large, 'cause they give it to us so we grow into 'em and always remember not to do drugs. I might as well send for it, since my other shirts keep getting ripped. First Sephy, then that Jenova tentacle thingy. I hate tentacles. Hate 'em, hate 'em, hate 'em! If Sephiroth grows tentacles, I'll…be really…really mad!"

"Wait- are you saying it was _Sephiroth_ who ripped your shirt that first time?" Jessie interrupted.

Aeris nodded. "Yep! Took his sword, and whoosh! Then he held his other hand out like he was gonna grab something big. Like coconuts. I'm allergic to coconuts, didja know that? If I eat 'em, I get a big rash, an' sometimes I can't always scratch,"

She dissolved into a fit of giggles.

Jessie and Tifa both stared at the floor uncomfortably.

"Awww…why do you two look so sad?" Aeris whined, "Don't be sad! I'm not! I used the famous White Materia! Now my name will be in history books everywhere, even after hundreds of years! Just…they'd better spell my name right, y'know??"

Tifa tried to smile. "Sure…"

"People are _always_ spelling my name wrong!!" Aeris exploded without warning, "Sometimes they mix the I and the E, and it ends up sounding like a drink from Costa Del Sol or something! Or even better yet- they spell it A-R-I-E-S! Like I'm a ram or something! Do you see any horns coming out of my head?"

She burst into tears suddenly.

"Maybe we should go," Jessie said as she stood up and headed for the door. Tifa looked back at Aeris helplessly, and followed the techie out of the room.

"I'm not a goat!!" Aeris was still sobbing, "Not a goat! Why can't they ever get it right?! Why'd Papa have to be a meanie and give me a name no one can ever spell right?? Oh, look- a quarter-gil coin…!"

* * *

"God, that was horrible," Tifa mumbled as she and Jessie sat near the lake.

Jessie nodded in agreement.

"That other Cetra said that it would cure her though," Tifa went on, "So I guess putting up with that is okay if it means she'll be fine. I mean, she's only a couple years older than me. She can't die,"

"Sephiroth cut her shirt…" Jessie said suddenly.

"Huh?"

"She said it was Sephiroth who cut her shirt at the temple," Jessie explained, "But when I first asked her, she said she ripped it trying to get away from Jenova,"

"So she lied?"

"I…I don't know," Jessie admitted, "But why would Sephiroth rip her shirt? And right where it was?"

"Where was it ripped?"

"Right across the front," Jessie said while motioning across her chest, "The kind of thing guys might do in those cheesy bodice-ripper novels my sister used to read before she got married,"

"Jessie…don't you think you're reading too much into this? Come on- that guy ran off and chased after Aeris for hundreds of miles trying to track her down. You saw how upset he was when Aeris first got sick. I don't think I like the conclusion you're trying to draw here,"

"You think I like it anymore than you do?" Jessie snapped, "I've known Sephiroth since I first joined Avalanche…you think I like seeing what's been happening to him these past several weeks? It's like everything is spiraling out of control, and the solution is taking so freaking long I could almost laugh!"

"We're all on edge," Tifa agreed, "I don't know what I'd do if I hadn't had Cloud to talk to all this time,"

"Lucky," Jessie mumbled.

Tifa smirked. "Why don't you talk to Rufus about it?"

"Huh?"

"Well, you two sure have gotten close," Tifa said with a smirk, "It's weird, but whatever- it's not my place to say anything,"

"Glad you're that understanding," Jessie said as she lay back on the ground, spreading her arms lazily, "I don't think the other members of Avalanche will agree. Even Aeris doesn't like him, and she gets along with practically everybody,"

Tifa shrugged. "Well, what can I say? You're both pompous smart-alecks who like video games. That's a start,"

"Hmm. Pompous, am I? Big word coming from the youngest member of the group, don't you think?"

Tifa turned around to see Rufus emerging from the small opening through the trees.

"Should I get lost?" Tifa joked.

"For a kid, you're pretty reasonable," Rufus remarked, "And reasonable enough not to say anything to the others until Jenova's dead, right?"

"Huh?" Jessie looked confused.

Tifa put her hands on her hips. "What- are you ashamed of Jessie or something? She not like the rich bimbos you always got photographed with?"

Rufus glared at the young martial artist. "I shouldn't have to answer to anyone else but Jessie, but if you insist, no I'm not ashamed. But do you think we'll stay unified if the rest of Avalanche finds out that their beloved techie bomber has fallen prey to the 'big bad Shinra prince'? God, how many acts of good will do I have to perform in order for you all to stop assuming the worst about me?"

Tifa lowered her head. "Sorry," she sighed, "Just that when one person wants to keep a thing like that secret, that's usually the reason,"

"Tifa…" Rufus said slowly, "Tell me what you think of me, after having gotten to know me these past few weeks. Don't worry- I won't shoot you if you say anything less than flattering,"

Tifa looked straight at Rufus. "You're an ass," she said pointedly, "But…not the bad kind, I guess. Maybe things will turn out okay when you take over. You still haven't said exactly _how_ you intend to take over,"

"Well, Jenova is the bigger issue right now," Rufus told her, "One step at a time. I hope Sephiroth is willing to help out with my own plan. With him in on it, we'd be all set,_"_

_I hope Sephiroth gets his head on straight once Jenova is dead…_Jessie thought.

Just then, Vincent emerged from the opening, holding his PHS.

"Junon is under attack," he said, "That was Shears just now. Biggs and Cid just arrived there now as well,"

"We'll never make in there in time!" Jessie exclaimed, horrified.

"You get streaming radio or whatever they call it on your laptops, correct?" Vincent asked.

Jessie scrambled to her feet. "I'll get on it right now!"

Vincent and Tifa quickly followed her back to the main city, leaving Rufus alone near the lake.

_So much for time alone with Jessie…_he thought. _Ah well. Priorities, Rufus!_

* * *

"_Oh, the humanity!_" the announcer wailed as everyone crowded around Jessie's computer ten minutes later. "_Folks, this is terrible! SOLDIER is doing everything they can, but with that thing hiding in the water, it's nearly impossible! The docks are gone as well as the ship that was just coming in! All those lost lives…oh god, I can't talk, people!_"

"Then get someone who can!" Rufus snapped at the computer.

"I'll try another station," Jessie said, just as exasperated.

"Where the hell is Sephiroth?" Rufus asked while looking around, "Can't we just get him to zip over there and do that one-winged monster crap that Reno was telling us about?"

"Let him be," Medea said, "The vaccine drained him and he's sleeping it off,"

"Guy can supposedly survive being thrown into a mountain and yet he faints from needles," Rufus muttered.

"Here's some streaming _video_," Jessie announced, "This might make things easier- I don't think any announcer is going to be taking things very calmly at this point,"

The group waited impatiently for the video to load.

"There we go!" Tifa exclaimed as the picture came into view.

Everyone watched as the camera focused on the ocean nearby, where the tip of a sunken liner was sticking out. It then began to focus on a large shape moving beneath the water.

"_This is how the situation has been for the past forty-five minutes, folks!_" a less hysterical announcer said, "As of now, all of Junon has been completely evacuated, save for our defense forces!"

Reno let out a sigh of relief.

"Can't let Ma and her man-of-the-month go down that easily," the redhead covered with a joke, "Plus, my brother still owes me a hundred gil,"

A familiar-looking helicopter obscured the camera's view of the ocean.

"Shit!" Barrett swore, "That's the President's chopper! The hell's he doing there?"

Rufus said nothing, only smirking slightly.

Jessie didn't miss the knowing look on the young man's face, but decided to stay silent and continue watching the scene unfolding on the computer screen. No one else had seemed to notice.

"_Aside from SOLDIER, one single airship has been circling the water. The people inside have been helping out using materia, and apparently, very powerful materia at that!"_

"Right, on, Biggs!" Jessie couldn't help but cheer as the Highwind came into view.

"_But what's this?_" the announcer said as the helicopter began to descend near the shadow, "_President Shinra is actually attempting to approach the monster!_"

"The hell?" Reno scowled and leaned in closer.

Everyone watched as the door opened and President Shinra appeared, carrying a simple-looking machine gun.

Rufus put a hand to his mouth, trying to conceal his amusement.

Tseng noticed the young executive's expression as well, also choosing to remain silent.

_Rufus, what do you know that we don't…?_

Everyone gasped in horror as the large green monster surfaced. With one swipe of its arm-like appendages, it sliced through the front of the helicopter, causing the front to burst into flames. The explosion threw the president out of the helicopter, where WEAPON caught the portly man and dragged him underwater. A couple seconds later, a small red spot appeared on the water.

Rufus burst out laughing. Everyone slowly looked at him.

"Hail to the new chief," Tseng remarked calmly.

* * *

"They're still going at it, huh?" Aeris asked groggily.

The celebration over President Shinra's death had extended well into the night. After getting over the initial shock, the group had continued to watch the footage. Between SOLDIER and the other members of Avalanche, WEAPON eventually sank to the bottom of the sea, never to be seen again.

"They've got a reason to celebrate," Sephiroth said with a nod as he sat by her bedside, "So do we. Rufus has no interest is using us to further his business, so I suppose that means we're finally free,"

"So that means Joseph Lanier is dead?" Aeris joked.

Sephiroth chuckled briefly at the mention of his old assumed name. "I suppose so,"

"I kinda like the silver knight named Sephiroth better than 'big brother' Seph Lanier anyway," Aeris confessed shyly.

Sephiroth raised an eyebrow as Aeris weakly pushed herself up to a sitting position.

"You shouldn't try to sit up," Sephiroth told her, "You need your rest,"

"Things are gonna dangerous soon," Aeris said softly, "Aren't they?"

Sephiroth only nodded.

"Then I have to do this before it's too late," Aeris said as she crawled to the edge of the bed.

Before Sephiroth could stop her, she managed to tumble into his lap.

"Aeris…" Sephiroth said uneasily, "Stop pushing yourself. You're sick- very sick. Just rest for now,"

"I will in a minute," Aeris stubbornly insisted, "Just not until I get something out of my system,"

"Do you need the bedpan?" Sephiroth asked, "I can go get Medea,"

"Not _that_ system!" Aeris groaned.

"Aeris- what is this all about-?"

He was instantly silenced as her lips met his. Not thinking twice, he returned the kiss, reminding himself all the while to go easy on her, as she was still sick.

When she pulled away, he could see a faint blush on her pale face.

"So this is how it is now…" she giggled weakly.

"…I suppose it is," Sephiroth admitted.

Aeris stifled a yawn. "I'm kinda tired,"

Sephiroth gently lifted her up and placed her back in the bed, tucking her back in.

"Stay with me until I fall asleep, okay?" she whispered with a faint smile on her face.

"Of course…"

* * *

"So what did you do?" Jessie asked as she and Rufus sat near the water altar in the heart of the city.

Everyone else had finally gone to bed a little while ago. When Jessie was sure that Tifa was fast asleep, she had snuck out, knowing from the email that Rufus had secretly sent her, that he would be waiting there for her.

Rufus smirked at her. "Do?"

"I saw the look on your face earlier today when your father's helicopter appeared," Jessie went on, "Why did you father show up and pull such a suicidal stunt like that?"

Rufus laughed. "Connecting your computer to a little PHS and that signal booster sure does take a long time, doesn't it?"

Jessie stared at him confusedly.

"Long enough for me to make a couple phone calls to a few loyal people I have from within," Rufus went on, "People who would pull the wool over my father's eyes over something so serious as WEAPON,"

"Go on…" said Jessie.

"They were able to fool my father into thinking that WEAPON was only hanging on by a thread. Perfect opportunity for him to deliver the killing blow, right? After all, it doesn't matter who did the most damage- just who is responsible for the final attack. People love a good show. So my father decided he'd take all the credit, probably more so after my own stunt at Corel. Too bad that information about WEAPON being on its last legs was such a blatant lie. Amazing what you can plan in ten minutes,"

Jessie stared at Rufus in disbelief.

"But what about the person who was flying the helicopter?!" she exclaimed, "It's a miracle that he was able to crash land that helicopter and escape! Plus, did you see all the blood coming from that guy in the broadcast?? You did all that at the expense of an innocent man!"

Rufus chuckled softly. "I'd hardly call a Turk who shoots a pretty girl's beloved big sister in a brawl 'innocent',"

Jessie's mouth dropped open.

"According to one of my inside contacts," Rufus continued, "He's lost the use of his shooting arm. An eye for an eye, I suppose. Or in this case, an arm for a couple legs, right?"

"How…?" Jessie whispered.

"You gave me the exact date before we fell asleep last night," Rufus reminded her, "Or more specifically, before _you _fell asleep. I stayed up and then sent an email back to headquarters with the information you gave me. Earlier today, one of my contacts replied with all the information I needed to know. I pulled a few strings to make sure he was the one flying the helicopter. He survived the crash, but whatever. You can't truly punish a man if he's dead now, can you?"

"You're positive it's him?" Jessie asked him slowly, not looking at him.

"Absolutely positive," Rufus answered.

Jessie threw her arms around the new president and broke down sobbing.

Rufus chuckled again. "You're welcome…"


	27. Ch 27: The One To Tame WEAPON

Chapter 27: The One to Tame WEAPON

"Why not??" Reno whined the next morning.

"I already told you," Medea said firmly, "The medicine hasn't been tested on pure-blooded humans. It was risky enough using it on Aeris with her being half-human,"

"So test it on _me_ when Jenova's dead!" Reno begged the Seraph woman.

Tseng went up to them. "No, Reno," he told the younger Turk.

Reno grumbled as he walked away.

The front door opened and Rufus walked in, rubbing his back and wincing.

"Morning, chief," Reno greeted the new president, "Ready to find the last WEAPON and kill Jenova?"

Rufus shook his head. "Count me out," he said, "Headquarters is probably in utter chaos right now. I probably should have headed back there last night now that I think about it,"

"You all right, sir?" Reno asked, "You keep rubbing your back,"

Jessie walked into the room just as Reno was asking that question. She then began coughing violently as she hurried away.

"Must've fallen asleep funny," Rufus lied. _Never again, on a hard floor…_

Tseng walked up to Rufus and Reno. "Sir," he said, "Do you think headquarters is managing to keep things under control?"

"Of course," Rufus answered, "I've already taken steps to having Scarlet and Heidegger removed, as they're the ones most likely to cause trouble now that the old man is dead. Veld is keeping the Turks in line, and Reeve is currently acting president until I return,"

"A guy like Reeve as acting president, sir?" Reno asked dubiously, "Isn't he kind of a wuss to be in charge?"

"Don't underestimate him," Rufus said with a smirk, "He's way too smart to let anything get past him,"

"Hey, it's the man with the plan!" Reno exclaimed as Vincent walked into the room, "So we gotta hike through the snow again or what?"

"Cid will be giving us a lift to Holzoff's place," Vincent informed him, "I think it would also be a good idea for _all_ of us to go, save for Aeris and Reidmar,"

"And the chief," Reno indicated Rufus.

"I thought as much," Vincent acknowledged, "I'm sure Midgar needs you right now,"

"I suppose this means that my journey ends as well," said Tseng, "I can't let the new president travel back to Midgar alone,"

Vincent nodded in understanding.

"What about you, Reno?" Tseng asked.

Reno shook his head. "Hell no! I'm sticking around here! Sephiroth hogged all the fun with the last WEAPON we went up against. I wanna get another chance to kick some serious monster ass! Think I might be getting addicted, yo!"

"Shall we get ready, sir?" Tseng asked.

Rufus nodded. "Let's go,"

* * *

"You hear…don't you?" Aeris asked Reidmar as he took the remains of her breakfast away.

"I don't," Reidmar said ruefully, "The Planet has shut me off. It's a miracle it still speaks to you,""It says I can still make things right," Aeris said half to herself, "That's what I gathered from all it said. But make things right how? It _never_ can make itself clear!"

"I understand your frustration, kiddo," Reidmar told her, "But you have to understand something. Planets are all like that. They're not like the rational, sentient life forms that inhabit them. They're unable to articulate properly. They lack the brains we have to do so. All we can do is maintain awareness of their basic needs, and tend to them so that we can continue to enjoy their greatest gift: life. Fortunately, the needs of a living planet are fairly simple. This kind of terrestrial abuse is rare, to tell you the truth,"

"But it had to be _my_ home that experienced it," Aeris sighed.

"It sounds as if things will be over soon, though," Reidmar reassured her, "The man behind the abuse is dead, and his son wants to rectify things. I'm confident that your friends can handle Jenova, and I trust that whatever you did with that white materia will take care of Meteor,"

"They'll have to hike past Gaea's Cliff again," Aeris said absently, "So they'll send part of the group away,""Actually, Cloud, Tifa and Jessie will be coming along this time," Reidmar told her, "All three of them managed to surprise everyone with how they handled Ruby WEAPON, so Vincent offered them the chance to fight, which they all accepted,"

Aeris smiled and nodded.

"Is there anything I can do for you?" Reidmar asked.

Aeris shook her head. "I'm good," she said, "I guess I'll just take another nap. Though…if Sephiroth wants to see me…it's okay if he comes in and wakes me up,"

Reidmar smiled in understanding. "Why don't I just go get him now so you can spend time together before he leaves?"

Aeris' eyes lit up. "Thanks, Reidmar,""I'll be downstairs with everyone else if you guys need me," Reidmar said as he winked at her, "You two behave, though. You're not in any shape to be walking, let alone anything else, if you know what I mean…"

"Reidmar!!" Aeris' eyes widened in a mixture of horror and embarrassment before she slid completely under the covers.

The older Cetra chuckled as he left the room.

* * *

"Any idea of what you plan to say to the public, sir?" Tseng asked as he and Reno helped load Rufus' things into the small airplane.

"That the days of currying favor and elitism are over," Rufus answered, "There are strong, capable, honest people in this world. It's time to let them have their day in the sun, so that things can finally get done right,"

"Does that mean we're getting raises, sir?" Reno asked hopefully.

Rufus raised an eyebrow. "On top of the bonuses I promised you two and the soldiers? Dream on. You'll be eligible for higher commissions at the end of the year, just like everyone else. Of course, keep up the stellar work I've seen so far, and the 'eligibility' part will just be a formality,"

Reno shrugged. "Fair enough,"

"All right," Tseng announced, "Your things are packed. Shall we go, sir?"

Rufus scanned the horizon. "Beautiful day for traveling, isn't it?" he said absently.

He then scowled as he saw something hovering in the air below Meteor.

"Sir?" Reno scowled as well.

The figure in the air gradually became larger and clearer.

"Shit!!" Rufus swore, "If that's what I think it is…!"

"That's the last WEAPON!" Reno exclaimed as a big grin appeared on his face, "Oh, YEAH!!"

Rufus whirled around to face the Turks. "Do you have materia equipped?" he asked sharply.

"Yeah, chief," Reno held up his nightstick, which held two summoning materia, along with a Comet materia.

Tseng pulled back the sleeve of his jacket, revealing a metal bangle with mastered materia.

"We really got our spells up there from the fight with Diamond WEAPON," said Reno.

"We've got to warn the others," Rufus said as he instantly took off running.

* * *

"It's beautiful," Aeris remarked as she examined the Muramasa.

"It's yours," Sephiroth told her.

Aeris smiled. "Thank you,"

"Hopefully you won't be too out of practice by the time you recover,"

"What are you thinking about?" Aeris asked after observing the distant look on Sephiroth's face.

"About what Mom and the professor might have said if they'd seen what we did last night. That wasn't exactly a brother-sister kiss,"

"The sure have a lot to get used to, huh?"

Sephiroth nodded. "This probably doesn't make things any easier for them,"

"After this is over, they're gonna bring Mama and Papa back here," Aeris told him, "I don't even know what I'm going to say to them…it's been so long,"

"I'm sure you won't have a problem once you drink your medicine," Sephiroth joked.

Aeris made a face. "I had to beg Medea not to give me that stuff until after you all leave. I can't believe I acted the way I did yesterday. First I scared off Jessie and Tifa, and then I beaned Zack trying to juggle the kiwi he brought me…"

Sephiroth's expression hardened. "He brought you snacks?"

Aeris saw the look on Sephiroth's face and began to giggle. "Is that jealousy I'm sensing from you? What- you think he's gonna seduce me with kiwi?"

The image of Zack feeding Aeris slices of fruit by hand did not bode well with Sephiroth.

Just as Aeris was about to continue teasing Sephiroth, the door swung open and Reidmar burst inside suddenly.

"Ultima WEAPON is approaching quickly," he panted, "Sephiroth, we need you outside. Aeris, I'm going to take you underground where it's safer,"

"Seph…?" Aeris looked concerned.

"Don't worry," Sephiroth took her hand and gave it a brief, reassuring squeeze, "If we could take WEAPON out when we all split up, it won't be any problem with us all together,"

Reidmar quickly gathered Aeris into his arms, and the three left the room.

* * *

"I'm sorry, kid," Reidmar huffed as he carried Aeris toward the lake, "I wouldn't put you through this otherwise,"

"I'm not going to die just because you had to carry me for a couple minutes," Aeris answered, slightly irritated.

Reidmar stopped after hearing a low whooshing noise.

"What's wrong?" Aeris asked.

Reidmar looked around. "I hear something," he said quietly.

Aeris then gasped and pointed back toward the path to the outer city. Ultima WEAPON was hovering right above the two of them.

"This…can't possibly be a good thing," Reidmar stated lamely.

* * *

"Why won't that thing hold still??" Reno exclaimed as he and everyone else ran toward the lake where the monster had flown off to.

"Oh, shit…!" Jessie said as she saw WEAPON rising above the trees. The first thing she noticed was a familiar figure clad in pink sleepwear, perched on top of the creature's back, clinging tightly.

Sephiroth wasted no time. He shot off into the air, intending to end this once and for all.

"Aeris!!" he called out as he approached her.

The young half-Cetra spotted Sephiroth hovering in the air right before her.

WEAPON roared angrily.

"Don't move!" Aeris shouted, "I'm all right! This was the Planet's intention all along!"

Sephiroth stared confusedly at Aeris.

"I guess I'm the only one who can handle WEAPON, since we're both connected to the Planet," Aeris explained.

"You're not in any shape to be taming WEAPON!" Sephiroth protested, "Doesn't the Planet realize that? Do you simply want to sacrifice yourself like your ancestors did?"

"It's not that simple!" Aeris argued.

WEAPON roared again. Aeris began absently patting it on the head.

"Hey, now," she said softly, "It's okay. You've just gotten everyone worried about me is all,"

The roaring quieted down to a soft growl.

"Oh wow…" Aeris commented as she looked off into the distance, "When did that end up happening?"

From up in the air, one could easily see the Northern Crater. But what had originally been an invisible energy field was now a bright pink barrier encircling the mouth.

"Guess we have some work to do, huh, big guy?" Aeris said to WEAPON.

Before Sephiroth could say anything, WEAPON flew off, taking Aeris in the direction of the Northern Crater.

* * *

"Reidmar!!" Medea exclaimed as she ran over to where her husband lay on the ground.

The Cetra groaned and attempted to sit up.

"What happened?" Vincent asked sharply.

"Just flew down…" Reidmar wheezed, "I tried to protect her, but that thing just knocked me into a tree. I think I might have conked out for a minute,"

"You're bleeding," Medea told him.

Reidmar held his hand up to his bleeding temple and proceeded to heal the wound.

"Aeris is riding WEAPON as we speak," Vincent told Reidmar.

"So that's what the Planet had in store for her then," Reidmar mused, "That she could still make things right. My guess is that her ties to this world might allow her to have some control over WEAPON,"

"But she's too sick to be riding around like that!" Medea protested, "Plus, I had yet to give her the medicine for today! The kind of physical exertion that would be involved in riding that thing might kill her!"

"Where the hell are they going??" Reno asked.

"Wherever it is, I'm sure Sephiroth is following closely behind them," said Vincent, "Let's head back to where Cid's waiting. We might be able to track them down from the Highwind,"

* * *

"See anything?" Cid asked fifteen minutes later as he and Vincent stood in the cockpit of the giant airship.

Vincent peered through a pair of binoculars. "No. Try heading over to the other side,"

Cid expertly steered the aircraft around the barrier.

"I see WEAPON," Vincent announced, "Move in slowly,"

"The hell I'm going near that thing!" Cid argued, "I saw what that last WEAPON did to the president's chopper!"

Suddenly, there was a bright flash of light.

"What the hell's going on now??" Cid exclaimed.

The light soon dissipated, revealing a large hole in the giant barrier.

"I think they've already gone inside," said Vincent, "This is our chance, Let's go,"

Cid nodded and began to steer the airship toward the opening.


	28. Ch 28: Descent

Chapter 28: Descent

"I can hear my ancestors so well here," Aeris wheezed, "There's still two WEAPONs that haven't been released,"

"Don't talk," Sephiroth told her.

"If we fail in our quest, Omega WEAPON will absorb the lifestream and find another world to release it into. So we at least won't be wiped completely out of existence. I'm glad…"

"I have no intention of letting that demon woman win," Sephiroth stated flatly, "Now try to rest,"

"Yes, sir," Aeris teased.

The two had been sitting near the entrance to the crater for the past five minutes. Sephiroth was sure that the others would eventually catch up, now that WEAPON had made a hole in the barrier at Aeris' command.

Sure enough, the two heard the whirring noise of the Highwind. The two watched silently as the airship descended about a hundred feet away from them.

"Guess it's time to take my medicine," Aeris sighed as she watched everyone getting off.

"Well!" Medea exclaimed cheerfully as she approached the two, "Aeris, you had us worried for a bit,"

"Sorry," Aeris said sheepishly, "But WEAPON doesn't want me to leave its side,"

Medea pulled out the familiar blue bottle.

Aeris looked over at WEAPON sadly. "If I decide to use your head as a pair of bongos after this, please don't eat me…"

* * *

"Quite the turn of events," Tseng commented as Rufus guided his airplane over the ocean, "You almost seemed ready to stay put when WEAPON appeared,"

"Everyone else is safe," Rufus said dismissively, "What's the news on the eastern continent?" Rufus asked.

"Three other Turks have been dispatched to meet us on the southern coast near Fort Condor," Tseng answered, "Then we'll be headed straight to Midgar by helicopter,"

"And the status of Midgar?"

"A few small riots, but nothing serious, and nothing near headquarters,"

"I trust there's news crews around?"

"Every news crew is swarming headquarters. They were all informed that you'd finally be returning from what your father had referred to as a 'leave of absence',"

Rufus nodded. "Good. Pity that the others won't be able to hear my speech,"

"Does it mean that much to you, sir?"

"Huh?"

"Forgive me if I'm being forward, but-"

"How many times do I have to tell you to knock it off with that 'forgive me for being honest' crap? Just say it,"

"I think that being around Avalanche has changed you for the better, sir. You seem to have a little more faith in mankind's potential for action,"

"I was proven wrong," Rufus admitted.

"By the computer girl?"

The plane jolted a bit.

"How…?" Rufus started to ask.

"You've barely taken your eyes off her for the past couple days," Tseng informed the president, "Plus, you make no effort to talk to her in public anymore, as if you're deliberately trying to hide it. It's a miracle no one else has noticed,"

"Mayor Lockheart's daughter and Trooper Strife both know," Rufus confessed, "But they haven't said a word. Thanks for not saying anything either,"

"Of course, sir,"

"…You're a good man, Tseng. If I hadn't had a sane guy like you for a bodyguard, I might have snapped years ago,"

"My pleasure, sir,"

A small smile crossed Rufus' face as he continued to pilot the plane.

_Jessie…don't you _dare_ get yourself killed. I'll be waiting…_

* * *

Sephiroth looked around the area while he waited for the others to finish climbing down the ladder Cid had provided them. He stood on a ledge leading to a large spiral walkway, going further into the tunnel he could see at the bottom.

Aeris was still sitting on top of WEAPON when he'd left her, albeit cloaked in a warm blanket, with Reidmar there to look after her. Just as Ultima WEAPON had left Sephiroth alone at Aeris' bidding, it had warmed up to Reidmar as well. Reidmar was still sore over being knocked out, however, and didn't look too happy to be having to climb on top of the creature to take care of Aeris.

Vincent was the next to reach the bottom. He went up to his son, who was now looking up at the top of the steep hill.

"Reidmar will take care of her," Vincent reassured the swordsman.

"Have you noticed the dark circles under her eyes?" Sephiroth asked.

"She's still a strong girl,"

"Let's just get ready," Sephiroth said as he saw the last of the group climbing down the ladder.

"Let's move out, everyone," Vincent announced as everyone now stood before him.

He and Sephiroth led the party down the walkway, shielding the rest of the group from the powerful monsters that would occasionally attack.

Finally, they reached a fork at the bottom.

"Perhaps we might split up into two groups," Sephiroth suggested.

Vincent nodded in agreement. After a few minutes, the two groups had been formed. One consisted of Vincent, Reno, Zack and Jessie. The other consisted of Sephiroth, Medea, Cloud and Tifa.

"We really could have used Barrett and Biggs," Jessie muttered absently.

"Regardless," Vincent said, "It's all over now with this,"

"It's a miracle my PHS still works here," Tifa remarked.

"The high concentration of mako might have something to do with that," said Vincent, "If anyone finds anything, we contact the other party immediately. Understood?"

Everyone nodded.

"Then let's go," Vincent led his party down the left fork, while Sephiroth's group went right.

* * *

"Whoa!" Jessie exclaimed as she pointed at a small creature approaching them carrying a large knife in one hand, and a lantern in the other.

"The hell is that thing?!" Reno exclaimed.

"A Master Tonberry," Zack replied as he held up his sword, "They look harmless, but don't let that fool you,"

"Screw that," Reno held up his nightstick and charged at the creature.

The lizard-like monster was barely fazed as sparks shot out of Reno's weapon, barely doing a thing to it. Then, it casually raised its knife and brought it down, narrowly missing Reno's arm in the process.

"Shit!" Reno exclaimed as he jumped back.

"Why can't you ever listen to anybody?" Zack sighed as he loaded a mastered Fire materia into one of the slots on the hilt of his sword.

"Life's a hell of a lot more interesting when I don't," Reno said with a grin.

"You've got one hell of a death-wish, Turk," Jessie commented as Zack unleashed a powerful spell on the tonberry, "But I like that,"

Reno followed with a Quake spell. The small monster stumbled back, slightly dazed.

"My god, the cross-dresser actually said something to me that wasn't an insult!" Reno pretended to look shocked.

"Who the hell are you calling a cross-dresser?!" Jessie snarled as she absently gripped the edge of her plain blue shirt.

"Focus!!" Vincent barked at the two teens as he fired at the creature.

"MORPH!!!" Jessie shouted as she held up her right hand, the metal bangle containing a yellow materia.

A fog began to surround the tonberry, completely enveloping it. When the mist cleared, the creature was gone, leaving a small ribbon in its place.

Reno scowled. "The hell?"

Jessie walked up to the ribbon and picked it up. "I'm almost out of Esuna bottles," she said as she began to wrap it around her left forearm, "This ought to protect me from any nasty spells anyone else has to throw at me,"

"Wait- who said you could keep that?" Reno objected.

"I finished it off," Jessie said with a shrug, "I'll keep it,"

Vincent was tired of these kids squabbling over nothing. "Let's go," he said sharply.

"She's a slick one, that girl," Reno whispered to Zack, "Kinda reminds me of the chief,"

Zack nodded absently as he popped an HP Absorb materia out of his sword and replaced it with a Quadra Magic one. He then offered his old materia to Reno, noticing an empty slot on his nightstick.

"Thanks, man," Reno said as he accepted the blue orb, "Y'know…you're all right,"

"Right back at ya," Zack said with a grin, "Even if you _are_ completely nuts,"

"I still haven't forgotten about taking ya bar-hopping after this is over," Reno said as they continued to make their way down the deep tunnels.

"If you don't mind carrying me back home," Zack laughed.

"We'll make a heavyweight out of you if it kills us," Reno declared.

"How can you talk about drinking at a time like this?" Jessie asked.

Zack shrugged. "Why not? Sure is a hell of a lot more cheerful than talking about Jenova. Hey- what do you wanna do when this is over?"

Jessie recalled the events at the Gold Saucer. "I owe someone a rematch in _Lethal Warfare_. I just hope he'll have time now…"

"Video games!" Zack exclaimed happily, "See- I like that. What about you, Vincent?"

Vincent looked thoughtful. "Perhaps I'll open up my own store," he said.

Jessie did a double-take. "A _store??_" she exclaimed, "That's it??"

"Did you expect me to fight forever?" Vincent asked.

"Well…" Jessie furrowed her brow, "I guess…that's all I've ever seen you do. I guess I never really thought about it,"

"I think it'll be a nice change of pace," Vincent said with a slight trace of a smile on his face.

"So what do you wanna do, Zack?" Jessie asked, "Besides get hammered with Reno?"

"The chief's already offered me and Cloud paid vacation time after we're done," Zack answered.

"Yeah!" Reno exclaimed, "Me too!"

"-And I guess I might go see my parents again," Zack went on, "Maybe I can get assigned to help tear down the reactor there, and _then_ take my vacation,"

"I haven't seen my parents and little brother in forever," Jessie admitted, "Guess I'll go hang with them for a while, and maybe I'll go see my sister and her husband. She makes the best fried chicken. God, I haven't haven a real healthy meal since we left that old couple's house near Rocket Town. Even that stuff at the Gold Saucer was artery-clogging fast-food,"

"Hey- I eat that stuff all the time and I ain't complaining," Reno argued.

Vincent allowed the three youths to continue talking and building up their morale as they continued on.

* * *

"Where are we?" Cloud asked as he, Sephiroth, Medea and Tifa reached a large, open space.

Suddenly, there was a loud screeching noise. Sephiroth looked up to see a large creature descending upon them. To his shock, he realized the monster looked almost exactly like the offshoot that had infected Aeris.

"Stand back!" Sephiroth ordered the two teens.

Cloud and Tifa obeyed, darting back about fifteen feet behind the swordsman. Cloud was not satisfied, however. He held up his fist.

"ULTIMA!!!" he shouted.

He watched as the monster was weakened by the familiar green mist. However, the creature still had plenty of strength left. Charging past Sephiroth, it picked Cloud up with one arm, and with the other, a bullet-like piece of flesh shot out, ripping through Cloud's right leg. It then dropped the teenager on the ground like a sack of potatoes.

Ignoring Tifa's horrified screams, Sephiroth wasted no time in rushing over to the offshoot, where he proceeded to hack away with Masamune.

Furious at the monster for hurting Cloud, Tifa hung back, knowing her fighting skills were still undeveloped, and stuck with casting spells along with Medea.

Sephiroth had had enough. He leaped up into the air, and then began a rapid descent, his sword pointed straight down.

Tifa and Medea watched in shock as Sephiroth impaled the monster, coming to a halt not two feet above the ground, hanging on the hilt of Masamune.

That was enough to cause a gargling noise to come from the offshoot. It then tipped forward, sliding off the Masamune as it crashed to the ground. Sephiroth managed to land on his feet smoothly.

_He practically carries us through these battles…_Medea thought.

"CLOUD!!" Tifa screamed as she rushed over to the fallen trooper.

Cloud had lost consciousness during the assault, and now lay on the ground, his arm twisted at an odd angle, and with blood pouring out his right calf, which was slightly bent.

Medea hurried over and examined the boy. "This is bad," she said uneasily, "I'll have to get him out of here and back to the airship where the doctors can look him over,"

"Will he be all right??" Tifa asked frantically.

"I can assure you he won't die if I hurry," Medea said.

"Take me back with you!" Tifa begged her.

Medea stopped short and stared inquisitively at the young girl.

"I've turned my back on Cloud enough times in the past!" Tifa said, "I'm not going to do it again! I have to stay with Cloud!"

Medea carefully gathered Cloud up in her arms. "Grab my arm and hold on tight," she said.

Tifa obeyed.

"You'll be all right?" Medea asked Sephiroth.

"Go," Sephiroth told her, "I'll find Vincent and the others just fine,"

"Good luck, Sephiroth,"

"Thank you,"

With that, Medea sped off, taking Cloud and Tifa with her.


	29. Ch 29: Don't Forget Me When I'm Gone

Chapter 29: Don't Forget Me When I'm Gone

"How's Cloud doing?" Aeris whispered as she leaned against the sleeping WEAPON.

"The doctors and Reidmar both agree," Medea answered sadly, "His leg will most likely have to be amputated. Even Cetra healing can't save it,"

"Poor guy…" Aeris wheezed as she began to readjust the blanket wrapped around her.

Medea noticed something, and gently grabbed Aeris' left arm to take a better look. She gasped as she saw several small black scale-like patches covering the girl's forearm.

"Did Reidmar see this?" Medea asked sharply.

"Oh, wow…" Aeris giggled, "I didn't notice that before…wow…that's pretty gross, huh?"

She began to cough violently.

"Reidmar!" Medea waved her husband over as she saw him getting off the Highwind.

The blond Cetra approached Medea and Aeris.

"She's gotten worse," Medea said quietly to Reidmar, "She's starting to mutate…if even she manages to survive that long. She's coughing a lot more…I don't know what else we can do for her,"

Reidmar looked grim. "She never should have been moved at all. The only thing we can do now is hope this all ends soon…"

* * *

She eyed the old outfit she now wore. It was amazing that she had managed to find it where she'd left it. Even after over two-thousand years, it was still in perfect condition, and still fit her nicely.

She had managed, with the will of her own mind, to alter the bottom of it to fit the legs she had acquired since arriving on this world. They suited her well, the legs. And looked rather nice as well, she noted with satisfaction.

The clothes consisted of a dark blue tunic with black leggings. Her feet were bare, yet impervious to the sharp rocks they stood on.

He was coming, she noted. Her…what was he? Her son? Yes, that was right. Her son…

_My son…no…that man…_

He was familiar…but she had not borne him. What then…?

He was the one who would take out the Cetra. But…why hadn't he? Since the altar, she had had no affect on Sephiroth whatsoever.

No matter. Every time she fought a Cetra, they ultimately died or mutated. If he couldn't finish her off the way she'd wanted him to, she would simply end things herself.

Still, something wasn't right. Recently, she had begun to remember certain things. Places, people…so unexpectedly, something would pop up.

He'd told her he'd wait for her…how long ago had that been? The mission was only supposed to be for two weeks…what had happened?

The Cetra…they had treated her kindly at first. But when the first one had died, she'd panicked. Then more followed. Until every last one of them was against her.

She remembered the one who had dealt the final blow and sealed her. The bright green eyes…the long, chestnut brown hair…she looked so much like that woman…it had to be her!

She smiled. He would be arriving soon…her…son…?

_I've been so lonely…won't you come back to me…?_

* * *

"Sephiroth's coming!" Jessie announced.

Vincent, Zack and Reno all looked up and saw Sephiroth making his way toward them.

"What happened to the others?" Vincent asked as his son approached the group.

"Cloud was maimed in an encounter with another one of Jenova's offshoots," Sephiroth informed them, "Medea took Cloud back to the Highwind, and Tifa insisted on coming with them,"

"How bad is he?" Zack asked.

"His right leg was completely covered in blood," Sephiroth answered, "I honestly can't say,"

Zack looked away, visibly troubled by the news.

"I'm sure that runt is fine," Reno scoffed, "With a hot chick like Tifa fussing over him, who wouldn't be? 'Sides- aren't those Avalanche's finest doctors you got in that airship?"

Zack smiled slightly. _Thanks, Reno._

Sephiroth's eyes widened as he finally saw the light coming from below. Curiously, he made his way toward it.

"Holy," he said simply, stopping before the light.

"Way to go, Aeris," Jessie whispered.

A familiar laughter reached Sephiroth's ears.

"She's waiting inside," he announced.

_This is it…_Vincent thought as he braced himself, _this will make the years of preparation all worth it. I feel as if I'm still frozen in time. But now, I also feel as though my time is finally about to begin. Sephiroth…Aeris…so that you may finally lead happy, safe lives. Elmyra…would you settle down with this cranky old man when he returns…?_

_Rufus…_Jessie thought, _we've got so much to figure out. Wait for me…_

_Shit, _Reno thought, _I'm only eighteen! I still got an ass-load of stuff to do! I'm not letting some psycho bitch from outer space stop me from doing whatever the hell I want!_

_Mom…Dad…_Zack thought, _Cloud…and all my new friends…this is for all of us…my ultimate mission as a member of SOLDIER!_

Sephiroth stood before the light, sensing Jenova several feet away.

Aeris…I will avenge you… 

Not hesitating, the silver-haired swordsman dashed into the light.

* * *

Sephiroth found himself in another room, staring in confusion at his surroundings. It was as if Holy had acted as some kind of portal to another place. He couldn't tell if this was the land of a celestial being…or its innards. Something sacred and yet vulgar about the place. Perfectly clean, yet the ground had the texture of living tissue. Ahead of them, what looked like a tunnel of clouds spiraled into the endless bluish-purple horizon.

"What is this?" Jessie asked as she and the others appeared behind Sephiroth.

"I see something!" Zack pointed at something approaching them from the distance.

Sephiroth recognized the torso of Jenova, similar to how she looked when he'd found her in the reactor all those weeks ago. However, her skin had taken on a more human tone, rather than the bluish hue it had when he'd first encountered her. The tentacles were still there, and instead of legs, the bottom of her abdomen was attached to what looked like a sac of eggs on a queen insect.

"Holy shit…" said Reno, "She turned into a freakin' hot-air balloon or something?"

"Shut up and get ready," Sephiroth told him.

He could see the smirk on Jenova's face as she descended before the five of them.

_You're a part of me, Sephiroth. But all my offshoots need to be reunited with me sometime. You've been a bad boy, so you're no exception._

"Go to hell!" Sephiroth snarled as he raised Masamune.

_And I thought the other Seraph's reflexes were slow…_Jenova mused as the two tentacles shot forward and pierced through Sephiroth's chest and stomach.

"Oh…sick!" Reno exclaimed.

_Now…come to me…_

"You've got to be joking…" Sephiroth chuckled bitterly as he sliced Masamune through the tentacles. They instantly regenerated while the old tips fell out of him.

Vincent wasted no time in casting an Ultima spell on Jenova.

_Damn!!_ Jenova recoiled slightly, and then swiped at Vincent, who easily dodged her attack.

Zack took the opportunity to dash toward her and slash his sword at her body.

Jenova then turned to Jessie and raised her tentacle to attack, but the computer guru's whip shot out, coiling around it.

Seeing as Jenova was now partially restrained, Reno dashed in front of Jessie and set his nightstick to the highest voltage setting before jabbing it in her side.

Sephiroth flew up above the madwoman and brought Masamune down on the large sac, piercing it with little effort. He recognized the green substance that began spilling out.

He scowled. _Feeding off the lifestream…just like Medea said._

"WATCH IT!!" Reno yelled angrily as some of the liquid splashed near him.

Enraged, Jenova cast a fire spell, burning cleanly through Jessie's whip.

"You bitch!!" Jessie shouted.

Following Sephiroth's lead, Zack slashed away, ignoring the liquid that splattered all over him. Vincent also began shooting his gun at the sac.

Sephiroth continued to stab at her from up top.

_You…would do this to your own mother…?_

_A good mother wouldn't try to kill the woman her son loves,_ Sephiroth told her telepathically. _A good mother wouldn't try to manipulate her son into doing things he doesn't want to do. I can't cure you of your madness, but even if I could, I don't really like you that much anyway._

"Are you gonna fight her or are you going to stare at her all day?" Reno asked, annoyed.

Sephiroth stabbed at the sac again, this time, having hit a vital spot. He jumped out of the way as the lifestream began shooting out of the wound. The hole grew bigger by the sheer force of the liquid coming out.

While Jenova's source of power began to deflate, Sephiroth rushed at her once more, slashing her across the chest. The Seraph woman toppled over, the sac flopping over her body. When at last it deflated completely, Sephiroth brought Masamune down again, the blade sinking into the shape of her torso from underneath.

Suddenly, the room began to shift around them, until the group of five found themselves back in the room they'd come from.

"The light's gone," Jessie remarked, "And Jenova's disappeared,"

"Holy has been freed," Sephiroth told her, "Jenova must have been keeping it at bay. Aeris' mission is finally complete,"

"Let's go back," Vincent said calmly.

The group turned to leave. Suddenly, Sephiroth doubled over, clutching his forehead.

"Sephiroth?" Vincent looked concerned.

The swordsman winced. "Go on without me!"

"Sephiroth-!"

"She's still here!" he whispered, "Go on! This is between me and her!"

Vincent hesitated, but knowing his son wasn't going to take no for an answer, slowly backed away.

"Meet us in the underground part of the Ancient city," Vincent told him, "We'll bring Aeris to the gateway. I'll see you there,"

He and the others left.

* * *

Jenova shakily got to her feet. She had underestimated him terribly. Or had her combat skills deteriorated?

A hazy memory of her sparring against an instructor came to her.

"_Well done, Miss Delrayo!"_

_Delrayo…? That annoying man with the mustache kept calling me Jenova…but I…_

Her broken thoughts were interrupted by the sight of a large sphere of spirit energy bearing down towards her. As it continued to approach her, she could make out the form of Sephiroth in the center of the sphere.

She smiled. This was it. Somehow, she knew this would be over soon. She was tired. After this battle, she would finally get some rest.

_Why did I come here…?_

The others had died on the mission. Their madness had led to recklessness, which had killed them. She had been the last one to succumb to…

Her mind briefly blanked out. Then she looked up to see Sephiroth standing in front of her, his long nodachi poised to attack.

"Can your heart regenerate after I've torn it out of your body?" Sephiroth hissed.

Jenova didn't respond. Nor did she respond when the man drove the blade into her chest, twisting the hilt in the process. When he withdrew the blade and stabbed her again, only this time in the stomach, she barely flinched.

Once he removed the blade again, she collapsed to her knees. Blood trickled from the corner of her lip.

Sephiroth watched her warily. Just then, he could hear Medea's voice in his head.

_Can you hear me, Sephiroth?_

_I hear you._

_You must be close, else I wouldn't be able to contact you. I hope I haven't caught you at a bad time._

Jenova fell over on her side, coughing up even more blood.

_It's over_, Sephiroth told her. _Jenova is done for._

_I need you to bring her back with you, Sephiroth. She may still be able to feed off the spirit energy and revive herself. We can't take any chances._

_I understand._ Sephiroth went over to the mortally wounded Jenova and gathered her in his arms.

Jenova gazed up at him with hazy eyes. _Have…we met?_

"Just shut up," Sephiroth said wearily.

He looked up, and began to fly through the lifestream once again.

* * *

"Meteor's bearing down!" Cid exclaimed as he landed the Highwind outside of the ghost city.

Tifa looked at the large screen off to the side of the room, containing what looked like a satellite map of the Planet. Suddenly, she gasped in horror as she pointed at the large red blotch on the screen.

"It's heading straight toward Nibelheim!!" she panicked, "We have to warn everyone! Papa! My friends!"

"I think they got the warning when they saw it right above them, kid," Cid told her.

"All we can do is wait for Holy to do its thing," Reidmar said.

"Wait?!" Tifa shrieked, "This is my _hometown!!_"

Cid turned to a young man with shaggy dark hair wearing a green bandana.

"Shears!" he barked, "Get me some freaking coverage on that thing! How close is it?"

Shears ran over to the screen and messed around with the controls until an image of Meteor hovering only a couple-hundred feet over Nibelheim could be seen. Underneath, what looked like several thin red pillars could be seen razing the outskirts of the city.

Just then, a bright wave of light surged underneath Meteor, blinding the screen momentarily.

"Holy," Vincent stated simply.

Everyone gasped in horror as Meteor continued to plunge through the light.

"It's not enough!!" Tifa protested, "Aeris- can't you pray again or something?!'

From the cot she rested on in the corner of the room, Aeris simply stared vacantly at Tifa.

"Aeris has been through enough," Reidmar told her, "It's a relief that WEAPON finally let her go once we knew Jenova had been finished off,"

"Then can't you do something?!" Tifa pleaded, "Aeris is only half-Cetra! You're the real thing!"

"The Planet doesn't know or trust me as it does Aeris," Reidmar told her, "I don't have half the power here that she does!"

Tifa turned away and looked helplessly at the screen. Just then, a chunk of Meteor came off, crashing down below. Seconds later, flames could be seen coming from where it had landed.

_That's my neighborhood…_Tifa realized.

With that, she fainted on the spot.

"Get her back to her room!" Cid yelled at anyone.

A young woman with short, messy brown hair wearing a green shirt went over to Tifa, gently picked her up, and carried her away.

"Thanks, Elfé," Cid called after her.

No one noticed Aeris tossing back her blanket and slowly standing up. Seeing Reidmar's staff discarded nearby, she quietly went over and picked up the weapon.

_Feels nice…big, but easier to maneuver than my old kodachi…I hope Sephy doesn't mind after all he's taught me…_

"Aeris?!" Reidmar exclaimed in horror, "Get back to bed!"

"God, do you have some kind of _death wish?!_" Jessie exclaimed.

Reidmar immediately winced as he heard a voice in his head: _Do not interfere._

When he looked up, Aeris was standing upright, her green eyes glowing, and a look of absolute determination on her face.

"So the Planet is lending you its power, is it?" Reidmar said softly. _And it's giving you permission to steal my staff, huh? Planet…I hope you know what you're doing…I don't like sacrifices._

"So what now?" Cid asked.

"Whatever Aeris does, we'll go with," Vincent announced.

"What the hell is she doing?" Reno asked impatiently as he and the others watched Aeris making her way back to the water altar.

"Just wait," Vincent said.

"Aeris?!"

The others looked behind to see Sephiroth coming out of the building nearby, drenched in the lifestream, his hair and shirt stained with blood.

"Look who managed to beat us here again," Zack observed.

"What is she doing there?" Sephiroth asked Medea sharply, "You told me you would all meet me at the gateway. I've been waiting there for ten minutes now,"

"The Planet has intervened once again," Medea said, "What about Jenova?"

"Still hanging in there, but thankfully, she's not long for this world," Sephiroth told them, "She's inside next to the gateway,"

"I'm going to go activate the portal," Reidmar announced as he stepped inside the building.

Sephiroth hurried over to the altar, standing next to Aeris, similar to the last time. He watched as she raised Reidmar's staff into the air, and began chanting loudly in a foreign tongue. Sephiroth recognized it from the lessons Ifalna had given Aeris when she was little. It was the old language of the Cetra.

"What's the news on Nibelheim?" Zack asked Jessie.

The techie looked at the small portable TV Cid had loaned her. "The fire seems to be contained to just one part of the town. Whatever Aeris is gonna do, she's gonna have to do _now_,"

On the alter, Aeris straightened up, and took a deep breath before shouting:"LIFESTREAM, I SUMMON THEE!!!!"

She raised the staff high in the air with her left hand, and pointing up with her right.

"Oh my god!" Jessie exclaimed as she looked at the screen. Everyone crowded around her to watch.

The news cameras had focused on a small hole opening up nearby. A familiar green spiral spewed forth, rising into the air and making its way toward Nibelheim. The POV then switched to two more holes opening up, the same thing happening.

"The whole lifestream…" Vincent said in awe.

"Even the dead don't want us to lose," Zack mused, "Kinda the ultimate compliment, don't you think?"

Everyone watched silently as the Lifestream gathered together, merging with Holy and pushing against Meteor. They began to glow brighter and brighter, until the screen suddenly went dark.

"Turn up the volume!!" Zack shouted.

Jessie obeyed.

"_The light has damaged our cameras!_" an announcer yelled, "_We're getting a reading from the radar equipment, back at Shinra Headquarters! According to their calculations, Meteor is disintegrating! Whatever is out there is actually destroying Meteor, without harming the town!"_

There was silence for a moment.

"What the hell?!" Jessie exclaimed as she fiddled with the device.

A minute later, an image came up again.

"_The light has disappeared, and there's nothing left of Meteor!_" the announcer howled, "_It's a miracle!_"

"Hmph," Sephiroth scoffed as he approached them, carrying Aeris in his arms, her eyes closed. "Attributing an act like that to a miracle is an insult to everything Aeris has done for us. Let's go catch up with Reidmar,"

* * *

"I've almost got it up and running," the older Cetra told them as they entered a room with a large contraption set up in the corner. "Stupid thing takes so long to set up,"

"Just hang in there, Aeris," Sephiroth told her.

"Papa…?" Aeris whispered.

"You'll see him soon," Sephiroth reassured her as he gently put her down on a sofa nearby, "Just rest for now,"

The others stood nearby, still riveted to the small TV screen.

"Firefighters are now moving in to take over from here," the announcer said, "We just don't know what to expect anymore…"

Jessie handed the screen over to Reno and headed over to the couch.

"That was amazing, Aeris," she commented with a grin as she gently nudged her friend.

Aeris' head simply flopped forward. Immediately, Jessie grabbed her limp wrist and felt for a pulse. Her eyes widened in horror.

"Oh, god, no!!" she screamed.

Sephiroth rushed over and began shaking Aeris, trying desperately to rouse her.

"Aeris, wake up!!" he shouted.

"She doesn't have a pulse!!" Jessie panicked.

Reidmar sprinted over and tried to double-check for a heartbeat while Sephiroth was still shaking her.

"Sephiroth, stop that!" he ordered, "Shaking her won't do any good!"

"You _cannot die on me, you hear?!_" Sephiroth shouted desperately, "I swear, I'll follow you and drag you out of the Promised Land myself!!! What about Mom?! What about the professor?! You were so close to seeing them again- do you want to put them through this?! Goddammit, Aeris, YOU CANNOT DO THIS TO ME!!!! _I WILL NOT LET YOU BECOME JUST A MEMORY!!!!!!_"

Jessie was on her knees sobbing. Zack angrily wiped away his own tears. Reno stood still, rooted in shock at what was happening before him.

Vincent looked distant, as he stood in his own private hell, watching his utterly distraught son holding the lifeless body of the closest thing he'd ever had to a daughter.

Reidmar shook his head sadly. _So the Planet's power couldn't save her in the end…_

Medea looked around, her mind a complete blank for once. Just then, her eyes fell on the still-breathing Jenova. She hadn't noticed that dying Seraph was now fully clothed.

She went deathly pale as she recognized the outfit.

"Medea?" Reidmar noticed the look on his wife's face.

"Look at that tunic," Medea said quietly.

"It looks like the stuff your people's first space explorers wore," Reidmar observed, still shell-shocked over Aeris' death.

"It's the outfit that the Seraphim's most prominent space pioneer wore in nearly all the pictures ever taken of her," Medea explained, "My god…I saw all the evidence, but never put two and two together…she disappeared on a mission over two-thousand years ago…I would have never thought…never mind- just open up the portal,"

She went over to the dying Seraph woman and knelt down next to her. "Resara Delrayo?"

Jenova looked up at her with hazy eyes. _Yes…yes, that's right…that's my name…isn't it? What happened…? I feel as if I've been having one long nightmare…I've finally woken up…but I don't feel too well…_

Medea stood up and looked over at Sephiroth, who was still cradling Aeris' body.

"Take Jenova through the portal as well," Medea ordered him.

Sephiroth glared at Medea. "What for?" he asked bitterly.

"The least we can do for her…" Medea said sadly, "Is let her die in the place she was born in,"

"After she killed Aeris?!" Sephiroth exploded.

"Take her through the portal!!" Medea snapped suddenly, "And stop getting melodramatic on me! Aeris still has a chance, no matter how small!"

"She's _dead!!_" Sephiroth yelled at her.

"The Cetran galactic capital has the technology to revive the dead provided that not too much time has passed!" Medea argued, "Now get _both_ of those women through the portal before Aeris' soul begins its migration, and stop with the self-pity! I'll explain about Jenova later!"

"It's ready," Reidmar announced as he stood next to a strange purple light in the shape of a doorway.

"Go!" Medea urged.

Sephiroth hesitated, then murmuring a brief apology, tossed Aeris over his shoulder. He went over to Jenova, cringed, and then scooped her up, hoisting her over his other shoulder.

He looked over at Vincent and took a deep breath. "I'll be back," he told his father, "Tell Mrs. G not to fret over me while I'm gone. She always panics like the mad mother hen she is whenever something happens to one of her little chicks,"

Vincent nodded silently. With that, Sephiroth stepped into the gateway.

"Now what…?" Zack asked sullenly.

"We'll wait for a broadcast from Beud A'evori," Medea answered.

"You…really think there's a chance to save Aeris?" Jessie asked as she wiped her eyes.

Medea sighed. "I won't lie to you. There's only about a five percent chance of her surviving. At least…if the worst happens, Sephiroth will have his surrogate parents there for him. Perhaps seeing them again will ease the pain,"

"If anything, he'll feel worse for not being able to save her," Vincent remarked.

Suddenly, the ground began to tremble violently.

"Here we go again!" Reno yelled above the sudden noise.

"The lifestream is returning, as well as WEAPON!" Reidmar answered loudly, "Guess their departure is just as theatrical, if not more so!"

Everyone found themselves dodging the cracks that were opening up in the ground. The openings continued to widen, making their way to the gateway. As the ground opened up underneath the giant machine, the middle part of the structure collapsed, emitting sparks in the process. The portal quickly dissolved into nothingness.

"NO!!!" Reidmar screamed in horror.

Not thirty seconds later, the earthquake stopped.

"Is everyone all right?" Medea asked.

Everyone nodded. They then looked around, not quite knowing what to do.

"How are we ever gonna get in touch with him now?" Jessie moaned.

_Shit…_Reno thought,_ I think there really _is_ a god…of irony, anyway…_

Vincent looked at everyone, and then spoke:

"There's nothing more we can do now. Let's just go back to the Highwind. I'm sure everyone is worried about us,"

Jessie couldn't help but notice the utter exhaustion in Vincent's voice. _God, the poor man…_

She then snapped out of it. Vincent wouldn't want her or anyone else pitying him, no matter what happened to him.

"Right," she said briskly, "We're finally done. Let's go back home,"

Everyone left the building quietly.


	30. Epilogue: The Future Belongs To Us

Epilogue: The Future Belongs to Us

In a slightly isolated corner of Midgar's Sector Five, three buildings stand. What was once a bed and breakfast is now a boarding house, run by the wife of a talented gunman.

In the front yard of their house, several tulips continue to bloom. The only other place where flowers bloom is inside a dilapidated old church down the street. The one who planted these flowers is long gone from this place, but her flowers are a constant reminder of her brief existence in the lives of many people.

No hobos or drug addicts dwell there anymore, as they were cleared out several months ago by a swordsman who is also no longer around. Instead, the local children like to stop by and play quietly.

Often, certain people stop by to remember their missing friends and enjoy the odd beauty coming from a patch of flowers growing in the middle of an abandoned building.

In the six months since the alliance between Shinra and Avalanche achieved its goal, many changes had occurred…

* * *

"I just can't believe it," Biggs said, shaking his head in disbelief.

"I wouldn't have to commute to work this way," Jessie reminded him, "Besides- I think it'll be fun to have my own place,"

"Is _he_ gonna be coming over a lot?" Biggs asked.

"He's not that bad a guy," Jessie told her cousin, "If you wanna stop by, go ahead,"

"Jessie…" Biggs said worriedly, "He _did_ create that big setup that killed his old man. He practically killed his own father!"

"And Vincent killed Professor Hojo," Jessie pointed out, "Did that stop Mrs. G- I mean, Mrs. V from marrying him?"

"You're already thinking about marrying Rufus?!" Biggs was incredulous.

"Hey, now, I never said that! Don't jump the gun! I'm still not even twenty for another three weeks yet!"

"But you're moving into the Shinra apartments," Biggs reminded her, "One elevator ride will take you to _his_ place,"

Jessie smiled. "I know,"

"You're not making me feel any better, you know," Biggs sighed.

"Once you get to know him, you'll understand,"

Biggs looked at the girl helplessly. "I barely understand _you_ sometimes. But whatever. I guess if things don't work out, you can always crash with us until you find a new place,"

"You're the best big cousin a girl could ask for," Jessie said as she gave him a hug, "I'll miss joking around with you and Wedge at the dinner table over canned spaghetti and take-out food,"

"So do the Shinra apartments have dining services there, or are you actually going to learn to cook?"

Jessie waved her hand dismissively. "Ah, cooking is over-rated,"

Biggs snickered.

The sound of a horn honking could be heard from outside.

"Well, that's my cab," Jessie announced as she grabbed her suitcases. "I'd better get outta here,"

"Just be happy, kiddo," Biggs told her.

Jessie's eyes twinkled. "Somehow, I don't think that'll be very hard to do,"

She left, using her foot to close the door behind her.

* * *

Zack sat at a computer in the Sector Four library, typing an email.

_Dear Mom and Dad,_ he wrote, _I hope that computer I sent you is serving you well. President Rufus' girlfriend picked it out herself, so I'm sure it's amazing. Now that there's internet available back home, I hope we'll be able to keep in touch easier._

_I saw Cloud and his sweetheart a couple weeks ago. Cloud's doing real well considering what he's gone through. But then, like a friend once told me, he's got Tifa by his side, so I'm sure he can take on anyone and anything._

_As for me, no girls on my radar just yet. But never say never:D_

_I hope you two are doing well. I'll do my best to stop by in time for the holidays. Your son, Zack._

Just as he sent the email, he felt his PHS vibrating. He opened it up and read the text message from Reno.

_PARTY SECT0R 2!!!!! Ur free 2nite, rite?_

Zack chuckled quietly as he stood up and left the library.

* * *

"Sir, what the hell is this?!"

Rufus turned around to see one of his financial advisors standing in the middle of his office, barely controlling his temper as he clutched a piece of paper in his hand.

"We're already in the hole from tearing down every last mako reactor on the Planet," the man went on, "Then you fired Heidegger, Scarlet and Palmer, whom we needed the most, blacklisted one of our best Turks, and then hired your _teenaged_ mistress as _assistant head_ of software development, and now you're spending your own money furnishing her own apartment?!"

"Yes," Rufus told him, "My own money. So don't worry about it. Not like I'm embezzling company money to take her out on joyrides. Besides, she's been an incredible help these past few months,"

"Forgive me if I find this behavior to clash severely with your other romantic interests before. As I recall, you threw your last mistress out of headquarters after exactly two nights,"

"Forgive me if I find that to be none of your business," Rufus told him pointedly, "Besides- I'd hardly call those elaborate blind-dates set up by the old man 'romantic',"

"I still don't think that girl is ready to have such an important position in the company!"

"She's a prodigy. Just like I was. Should I be removed as president of this company? If age is a problem, then perhaps you'd like to run this show? You're what? Thirty years older than me? According to your logic, that makes you the perfect candidate. Hey- here I am- completely vulnerable! Go on- you can assassinate me right now!"

"Sir!" the man was horrified.

"Stupid thought, right? Good. Now unless we have any other financial crises, I thought I might take off for the day so I can help my girlfriend move into her new apartment. And you're kind of in my way,"

His financial advisor reluctantly stepped out of Rufus' path, and then followed the young president out of his office.

* * *

Tifa sat on the bench in the hallway outside Cloud's door. She knew he'd gone to the cemetery and was due back any minute now.

Cloud had secured a job as a cashier at the local item store. In the meantime, he had rented a room in the newly-renovated Shinra mansion, which was now a five-family apartment building. He had been able to afford a year's worth of rent thanks to the severance pay and bonus he'd gotten from Rufus upon his discharge from the army. Rufus had also set him up with the best doctor he could find to provide him with a high-quality prosthetic leg.

Cloud's old house, along with several others, had been destroyed in the large fire that consumed half the town. His mother was one of the many people who hadn't survived.

The town had begun almost instantly to try and rebuild itself, with donations from both Shinra and Avalanche. People around the world commended the townspeople for their resilience.

Tifa's father had become somewhat of a heroic figure, having taken up the task of leading the people through such a hard time. It was something she admired him for, even though he disapproved of her seeing Cloud. Still, his duties had kept him at work and away from Tifa for most of the time, leaving the young martial artist free to spend most of her time after school at the item store, free from her father's critical eye.

Cloud seemed to be adjusting to all the changes that had occurred in his life. Things had been rough, but Tifa hoped that their new closeness was a good change that could help balance out all the bad ones.

She smiled as she could hear the front door to the mansion opening, and Cloud's uneven footsteps coming up the stairs a few seconds later.

_Everything's gonna be just fine,_ she thought as her smile grew bigger.

* * *

The sunsets in Mideel were something Medea never tired of. Standing on the back porch of the house she and Reidmar had bought months ago, she placed a hand on her swollen belly, smiling as she felt a tiny flutter.

"Aren't you going to come inside, sweetcakes?" Reidmar called from the living room, "Got a piece of pie here with your names on it!"

She felt another flutter.

"He said the magic word, did he?" Medea chuckled at her stomach, "Ah well- I suppose we should go have dessert,"

She turned and walked back inside, absently scratching at one of the two grey wings that now protruded from her back.

_Starting over again has never been so wonderful…_

* * *

In an isolated corner of one of Beud A'evori's largest cities lay a huge cemetery. On top of a hill stood one lone grave marker. A lone silhouetted figure flexed its one black wing, looking around before his turquoise eyes came to rest on the grave.

Sephiroth cleared his throat and began to speak:

"This wasn't easy for me," he said to the tombstone, "It's taken me over six months to finally come out here and see you. The professor told me I should. I suppose he's right…as usual,"

He took a deep breath and continued to talk.

"Given the circumstances of your death, it's not like I had much of a chance to say anything to you, nor was I in the right place at the time. But regardless…you did have an important role in my life, and I think you realized that on some level.

"Yet…you're marked here in the corner of some random cemetery. Given all that you did when you were alive, you probably deserve a whole crypt. Maybe someday when people realize that, they'll finally pay proper tribute.

"I'll never forget you as long as I live, even if the memories are still somewhat painful. But in any case, at least I think I'm finally beginning to heal now…"

A hand gently touched Sephiroth's shoulder. Startled, he spun around to see Aeris standing behind him.

"What are you doing on your feet?" he demanded.

Before the girl could answer, he scooped her up into his arms and carried her down the small hill to where a wheelchair sat, abandoned.

"You're only allowed to walk for one hour a day until the doctor says otherwise," Sephiroth reminded Aeris as he placed her back in the chair. "Am I going to have to strap you to that thing?"

Aeris pouted. "I was just trying to help. I know how hard it was for you to go see Jenova after all she's done,"

Sephiroth sighed as he reached over and smoothed Aeris' hair back. The teenager smiled, still a little shy about the new level of intimacy they'd begun to share since she'd come out of her coma three months ago.

An arm around the shoulder, a quick kiss, long embraces…Sephiroth hadn't gone any further than that. Mostly it was because of her still-fragile health(she still hadn't been permanently released from the hospital, and was expected back there in half-an-hour), the other reason being a lingering unease about the age difference. This was compounded by the fact that her parents were still having trouble reconciling the fact that to them, their little girl had aged ten years in two months. As it was, Sephiroth was now living in a small apartment of his own, knowing that the family dynamics had changed drastically.

"Resara Delrayo was a completely different person than Jenova," Sephiroth told her, "I used to feel nothing but hatred toward her, but now, I can only pity her,"

Aeris nodded. The two stayed there for a moment, looking up at the pioneer's grave.

"…Hey, Seph?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you think we could try to come back to the Planet someday?"

"I'd like that. I did tell Vincent I'd be back,"

"There's a lot of people we didn't even get to say goodbye to,"

"I know,"

"But…in the meantime…this place is nice. I really do feel free here. Free to be who I really am. No one thinks I'm crazy anymore when they catch me listening to this planet,"

Sephiroth flexed his wing once more. "I feel the same way,"

"I've always felt safe with my 'big brother', but now I feel completely at peace,"

"Aeris…?"

The girl looked expectantly at Sephiroth.

He regarded her sternly. "Don't ever call me 'big brother' again,"

Aeris laughed as she took his hand in hers. "I suppose I shouldn't,"

The End


End file.
